


Destined to Fall

by freezerjerky



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:38:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7950064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/pseuds/freezerjerky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's just an ordinary boy- until he crosses a wall into another world where he discovers he's more than that. Determined to find a star and save his long-lost father, he realizes he's in for the challenge when the star is not a lump of rock or dust, but a disgruntled young man named Arthur.</p><p>Stardust AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Art for this fic was done be [vanhelsing019](http://archiveofourown.org/users/vanhelsing019). Done as part of the [After Camlann Big Bang.](http://aftercamlann.livejournal.com)
> 
> This is probably the longest thing I've written to date- I'm much more of a short story writer. I'm very excited to share this little AU I've dreamed up with everyone! Many thanks to the ACBB mods as well as everyone who encouraged me along the way!
> 
> It started out with me imagining many characters from the Merlin universe in roles related to Stardust (the film in particular, not the short story), and then turned into me getting down to what I think the story really means. It means it's a much more simplified telling of the story, and it combines the world building of the two universes throughout. A lot of people (including myself) will probably wonder why Arthur's in the role of the star and not the other way around, but I hope it becomes apparent the ways in which I saw Merlin's story paralleling Tristan's in the original film.
> 
> It helps to have seen the film to read the fic, but you definitely can read without having seen the movie!

There are theories about fate, about destiny and what we're bound to do. Of the billions of people on our own planet, each may have their own idea on predestination. When we look above,however, to the stars in the sky, those guardians of our wishes and fates, the paths and beliefs become infinite.  
  
Merlin Emrys, a boy of only eighteen, didn't exactly believe that he had any fate that he was hurtling towards. For all his eighteen years he'd lived in a small cottage with his mother, Hunith, in a town known as Wall. If you asked his neighbors what they thought of him they'd say that he seemed like a nice enough boy; quiet, respectful, prefering gentle games to the more rambuncious exploits of some of the other boys in the town. His mother would say he was the most perfect little gift she'd ever been given and that she was grateful with his help around their small farm. Merlin himself would agree that he was nothing special, just another farmboy with dreams of travel, of adventure, of seeing the world. But what's a small town boy supposed to do about these big dreams?  
  
Unsurprisingly, like many stories that start out like this, this will be the story of how young Merlin became a man, how he learned his worth, his power, and fell in love. But of course, like most stories of small towns our hero must first find his way out of town. Fortunately for him, the town of Wall was known for its strange wall. Even more fortunately for him, on the other side of that wall was a magical kingdom.  
  
Merlin had always been curious about what precisely was on the other side of the wall. As a boy, he'd sneak away when his mother wasn't looking to try to take a peek, immediately getting shooed away by the guardian, a rather old man named Geoffrey. When he'd return home his mother would fuss over him and tell him to never do it again, but then give a long suffering sigh of resignation. As he grew more, his attempts became less frequent and his mother began to believe that she was free of the worry that would come with her son crossing the wall. Merlin was a good boy, after all, and he wasn't so fond of breaking rules.  
  
Fate, however, very much so wanted Merlin to cross that wall, and so did his best friend, Will. The two boys had snatched a bottle of whisky from Will's house and headed out to the field along the wall to drink it. It was a common spot for some horseplay or romance, whatever was on the menu for the young people of that day. Merlin would never admit it, but he had something of both on his mind. He never could bring himself to act, for a variety of reasons, his own shyness, his fear of the society he lived in, his desire to not ruint he wonderful friendship he'd already spent a lifetime cultivating with the other boy. Tonight might be different.  
  
“Look at the stars,” Merlin said, nudging his friend. “They're so bright tonight, aren't they?”  
  
“Aren't they bright every night, Merlin?” Will answered and passed the bottle over to his friend.  
  
Merlin decided to just be quiet and enjoy the moment. Will wasn't a romantic and didn't appreciate the beauty of nature the way Merlin did and that was alright by him. There were a lot of other attributes that made Will appealing, like his honesty or his boldness. Merlin took a swig from the bottle and passed it over. He'd been plucking up the courage for many things that night, he supposed, but he could only come up with one answer when he spoke.  
  
"Tonight I'm going to cross over the wall," Merlin declared. "And you're going to help me sneak over."  
  
Will sputtered, taking a few long moments to collect himself before he broke out into a laugh.  
  
"You won't do it, you can't do it, but God help me, if I'm not going to help you try."  
  
Merlin laughed and stood, making sure the whisky was standing upright when he did. Will stood after him and the whisky toppled over, spilling onto the blanket. Neither boy noticed as they walked and worked on a plan. It was a simple enough plan, Will would engage Geoffrey in conversation and then Merlin would sneak over the wall, just to say he did. In the mind of tipsy still teenage boys, it seemed like the most perfect idea. Merlin had settled along the wall to wait as Will went to engage Geoffrey in conversation, leading him away from the one gap that was open to cross through.  
  
After a steeling breath he dashed along, blood singing in his ears as he finally crossed that threshold. It felt underwhelming at first and then suddenly painful. His body ached and he felt as though he'd burst out of his skin and he was fairly certain he was glowing. He'd worn an amulet around his neck since he was a boy and it started to burn into his skin and he flung it off, only instead of landing on the ground it rose up, up, up into the stars. He felt hands on him, pulling him away, but not until after he'd locked eyes on a star, plummeting downward and he knew, he could just feel that the star had landed somewhere. Because he now knew for certain that there must be magic on this side of the wall.  
  
"I have to go back over there!" he exclaimed, shoving at whoever had their hands on him, realizing far too belatedly that it was Geoffrey.  
  
"You'll do no such thing," the old man answered. "I'm guardian of the wall and I won't have you sneaking over like your mother did."  
  
Will appeared by his side then, helping Geoffrey to get steady on his feet. He shot Merlin an apologetic look, followed by a very naughty grin. Will was far too good at those sorts of looks.  
  
"My mother?" Merlin asked. "My mother has crossed the wall?"  
  
"Years ago, before you were born, when she was a silly child herself. I'm not telling you anymore, you need to go home before she's worried sick. Whatever's over there is too dangerous for a sensitive young man like yourself."  
  
"I'm not a sensitive young man I'm- I'm-" He searched for the words. What was he? He felt powerful back there, when he'd crossed the wall, but he was feeling like he was just Merlin, plain farm boy Merlin. "I have to go back to get the star, Geoffrey."  
  
"I'm going to personally escort both of you boys home so you can do no such thing. Honestly, you should be ashamed of yourselves. And you smell of whisky."  
  
"That's because we had whisky," Will cut in. "And I'll get him home, don't worry about it, old man."  
  
Will took Merlin by the arm and started to lead him away, looking over his shoulder to wave at Geoffrey. Merlin wanted to tell Will that he was being rude, as he often is, but he was too flustered by the proximity of the other boy to really protest. A close walk home with Will was almost as good as catching a falling star. Almost.  
  
"You spilled the whisky," Will reprimanded.  
  
"I made a star fall out of the sky. It fell. Out of the sky."  
  
"Merlin, stars fall from the sky all the time. Or they appear to do it. Don't you pay attention to school at all? Never mind, of course you don't. You were busy writing poetry in your head."  
  
Will looked down at the now mostly empty bottle.  
  
"Besides, if a star actually could fall from the sky, which it can't, it would be worlds away from here, probably in some burning crater."  
  


"Where on earth were you, Merlin?" his mother asked when he came in, looking bewildered and a bit shamefaced.  
  
"I was out with Will," he exclaimed, gesturing to the door. "Having a bit of a drink, and then I decided to cross the Wall."  
  
Hunith shot him a look that was both angry and concerned.  
  
"You're too old to play these childish games anymore, Merlin. You're an adult and you know you're not allowed over that wall."  
  
"Well, you crossed over it when you were young."  
  
The boy crossed his arms in triumph as his mother opened her mouth to speak and then closed it. She followed with a deep breath. There was always the option to make this about the drink, she supposed, but Merlin would insist that she talk about the wall and she couldn't hold back forever.  
  
"I'm assuming Geoffrey told you. I was worried that this day would come. But also prepared for it. Come upstairs, Merlin."  
  
Their cottage was small, cosy and warm. The home of an unmarried mother and her son. Merlin's bed was on the lower level, tucked in a corner behind a curtain, and his mother had a loft room to herself. He never begrudged his mother her privacy, because she made sure that he always had adequate space to do whatever he liked. He hadn't climbed up those stairs in ages, not since he was a scared little boy, climbing into his mother's bed after a nightmare.  
  
His mother had perched on the edge of her bed, a small parcel in her hand. She patted for Merlin to sit beside her and waited until he was settled to speak.  
  
"I crossed the wall when I was about your age," she began. "I was a very curious girl, and I'd felt very trapped by life in general. But the wall? Well, on the other side there was supposed to be great and wonderful things. I'm sure you've heard the tales of how it's a magical kingdom, full of magic and creatures you couldn't even imagine. Through some miracle, I'd fooled Geoffrey, who was less old, but still rather old them." She laughed, remembering how excited she felt. "I took off running, running towards nothing and then towards everything."  
  
"There was, across the Wall, a market happening that night. I saw such incredible things, Merlin. Beasts with two heads, magic spells being bought and sold, but the most incredible thing I saw was a young man. He was a handsome young man and I'd always been a sensible woman but I just knew, from that very moment, that we had something special. His...master, a man of little power but much greed, had fallen asleep beside the fire for the night and he invited me inside. And then we...talked all night."  
  
"Mother!" Merlin exclaimed, feeling both shocked and glad for his mother.  
  
"Oh hush, Merlin, because I got a very good gift out of the talking, only nine months later." She smiled warmly and pinched her boy's cheek. Merlin blushed the way adult sons do when they're relishing in the attention that they haven't had from their parents as often as they used to. "Part of what this young man explained is that he was being kept as a slave by an evil awful wizard, but that he too was a powerful sorcerer, and in time he'd get free, and when he was free to do as he pleased he'd give me a sign, and I was to use this to come to him."  
  
Hunith unwrapped the parcel carefully, revealing what seemed at first was just a simple black candle, but Merlin could tell there was something special about this candle.  
"A candle?" Merlin asked, more curiously than anything else.  
  
"A...I'm not sure what it's called anymore, but you light it and you think about where you want to go and then you're there."  
  
Merlin reached out for the candle. It brought back the feeling he had when he'd gone over the wall, the power contained in an item, the magic.  
  
"He never gave me a sign and eventually I just..." She sighed. "I had a good enough life with just you, I told myself. And as much as I'd hoped he'd became free, I was too cowardly to make the move to go find him. How would I even explain myself? Explain you? He wouldn't have to believe that we had a son together, it seemed so impossible."  
  
"You don't need to explain anything, Mother. I think I understand what it is to...have a secret you have to hold so dear. But there's something else, he gave you something else, didn't he?" Merlin asked, moving his hand to his chest, where the stone once hung.  
  
She nodded. "Yes, he gave me the amulet, said it would keep me safe from harm, would be a reminder I didn't have to stow away. I figured the best place for it, the person I most wanted to keep safe was you."  
  
Merlin frowned at that. "I lost the amulet. Or more aptly it sort of ran away. I, when I crossed the wall it flew off into the sky I think- You're going to think I'm making this up, Mother."  
  
Hunith took her son's hand, giving him a reassuring smile. It conveyed such a sense of solidarity, something not just a mother and son, but two people who had crossed over the wall, who had wished for more, could share. This gave him courage.  
  
"When I crossed the wall I felt something powerful surging through me, I couldn't help it, it felt like I was glowing and then the amulet went up and up and then, as I was pulled back to this side of the wall, I saw a star falling."  
  
"That must be the sign," she said. "That's the sign we've been waiting for. He said he had magic, he'd told me and I laughed and maybe I couldn't go to him because I didn't-" Her hands flew up to cover her face, and then she pulled her son in for an embrace. "You're magical, my boy, like your father. I've been keeping you ordinary here but if you cross that wall, you're magical."  
  
Merlin pulled his mother close, shaking a bit fearfully at this coming out so openly. Though Merlin liked to think he was a young man, he was still enough of a boy to take his mother's word as gospel. His mother had given up much for him, and so much of his life had been shaped by what his mother had experienced just in a night on the other side fo the wall. And this meant something that had never been a possiblity in his realm of existence until this very moment.  
  
"If the star is a sign, I have to go to it," Merlin said. "I'll find where it landed and maybe I can find an answer, find my father and bring him to you or you to him."  
  
The look on his mother's face when he pulled away made him want to regret suggesting anything. She'd seen the other side of the wall and it was such an unknown danger and her boy had barely left home. Then again, she was a girl of eighteen when she crossed the wall and it brought her this beautiful, bright boy. Now Merlin was a boy of eighteen and could bring home something bright for himself, or maybe he'd come back a beautiful, bright man.  
  
"You can use the candle," she stated, her voice firm. "You'd spend ages and ages looking for the star if you don't use it. And besides, you're not likely to get past old Geoffrey if you try the wall again."  
  
A smile touched his lips as he reached to touch the candle. "I'll come home to you, Mother. I promise. I should- I should pack some things, right? That's what one does when they're about to go on an adventure?"  
  
Hunith laughed and cupped her boy's cheek. "Yes, but let me pack some things for you, you never remember the right things. A mother always knows what her boy needs."


	2. Chapter 2

Unsurprisingly, Merlin knew nothing about stars. He hadn't even bothered to pay attention when the school teacher, his Uncle Gaius, had tried lessons about constellations. He'd preferred reading books or learning about real, tangible history to thinking of the night sky in such an organized manner. Will wasn't' kidding when he said that Merlin was writing poetry in his head, that was more or less precisely what he was doing. It should be left a mystery, he thought. But that was before he'd knocked a star out of the sky. Of course, technically, anything he'd learned about stars in class was factually untrue when he'd crossed the other side of the wall.

Frankly, the conjectures about the other side of the wall were all right. (Maybe not all, but many of them.) It was a place that defied many of the laws of the rest of the world, and where magic reigned freely. There was magical creatures from fairy stories and all sorts of magic about the kingdom. Magic was, by nature, neither good nor evil, but a neutral force, so the view of magic wasn't as damning as it could be in the rest of existence. It just was a fact of life, like the flying ships in the sky or the unicorns in the forest. Yet, magic was also the fabric of that world, and in the rest of the world it didn't hold true. Some things, if their tether was strong enough, were magical on both sides of the wall. Other things, when brought over the wall were immediately rendered ordinary. (No one had tested the unicorn just yet, for fear it would become something other than a horse.)

For his journey, Merlin's mother had packed him a kit with a few rations and a fresh shirt, as well as some other things mothers always seemed to deem necessary. (A needle and thread, honestly?) It was with a kiss to her cheek and a warm hug that he sent himself off on a journey, even if the journey was as simple as lighting a candle and hurtling forward or backwards or whatever direction; he was not exactly sure.

All he could do is hold on to the candle for dear life and hope that he had a soft landing, which was perhaps too much to wish for. He'd hurdled, nonetheless, into another being, knocking them completely over and landing squarely on top of them. He blushed immediately for the awkwardness, then all the more when he realized that he'd knocked down a very, very good looking blond man. Leave it to Merlin to leave such an awful first impression.  
  


"Oh! I'm so sorry." He sat up, scrambling to get to his feet. "Are you-" He looked around. "Have you seen a star by any chance?"

"Oh, brilliant joker," the man answered, groaning as he sat up. "Have you seen a star?" he mocked. "I'm a great big dollophead who likes to tell funny jokes. Yes, I've seen a star."

"That's great!" Merlin's face lit up and he looked about more pointedly. "Where?"

The man crossed his arms, waiting for the realization to dawn. It took longer than he expected.

"You don't mean that-" Merlin said, looking to the side, then turning to face the stranger. "You're the star." The man in front of him definitely looked like a normal human man. When he landed on him, he felt solid, and didn't burn his skin as he'd expect a star too. How could a human come hurdling out of the sky at such a high speed anyway?

"I can't say for sure, because falling to earth may have knocked some memories out of my head but I do remember, very distinctly, being up there not too long ago and trying to get out of this god forsaken crater until you decided it was appropriate to knock me down."

"You're a star," Merlin repeated.

"Yes, I'm a star. And I'd really like it if I could get back home, or at least out of this crater."

The man slowly made his way to his feet, groaning a bit as he limped. He was dressed in a silvery tunic and loose trousers, the material looked like it was silky and soft. Merlin became dimly aware of his own inelegant clothes before he had to snap out of it. Who was he to worry about looks when faced with an actual star? Merlin stared at him for a few long moments, trying to process everything that had happened. He'd gone looking for the star, expecting a lump of rock or a flame, or anything magical, and instead, it was just a man. A man who clearly was lost and needed help, but also who could be the answer to finding his father's freedom.

"I can get you home," Merlin said, holding out the candle. "With this."

"A Babylon Candle. Where the hell did an empty headed child like you get one of those?"

"My father, sort of. I'm here to find my father and I could use this candle to go to him, or I could use it to get you home. So it's your decision."

"What's my decision?"

"The candle. I can use it to go to my father now, or you can help me find him and then I'll help you return to your place in the sky."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because it's erm. It's my fault you fell in the first place," Merlin answered, rubbing his arm. "There was some...magic, and it knocked you from the sky."

The man scoffed and started heading towards the edge of the crater. "I don't need your help."

"What are you going to do, then? Build a ladder to the cosmos?" he asked.

The man stood still. "Noooo- I'll-" He stopped mulling it over for a good long moment.

"You've got nothing, do you?"

He sighed. "Not yet but I will."

"Listen." Merlin went to the side of the man. "My mother has been waiting for a sign for over eighteen years from my father and then you fell from the sky and she thinks you're the sign. My father's a captive and you might have the key to freeing him. Somehow."

"Yeah, somehow. I've got news for you about stars...your name?"

"Merlin."

"Yeah, Merlin. Stars just hang around, do our star thing, which is, by the way, shining." He gestured up to the sky. "Like the rest of them are doing." He frowned deeply when he looked up and saw exactly what he wasn't doing at that moment.

"My father is a magical man, are you trying to tell me there isn't magic that doesn't involve stars?"

The man opened his mouth to speak, then closed it before opening again. He looked as though he was deliberating something very important, and when he was clearly thinking, he pouted ever so slightly. "Stardust. There's magic that involves stardust. Or shining stars, it really can depend. Stars don't fall the way we used to."

"Why's that?" Merlin asked, moving closer to the men.

"Because people became crueler than then used to be," the man answered, clearly not keen on answering anything more. "If you want to go find your father Mervin-"

"Merlin."

"Merlin. If you want to find your father, the nearest village is north of here, I saw it when I was falling. It shouldn't be too far. Do you know anything at all to help us track down your father?"

It took Merlin a few moments to process, to recall his last moments at the cottage. His mother holding him tight, with the mix of fear and pride all parents feel at sending their children off into the world. She'd said her love and she'd said that his father would have dark hair and light eyes, just like he did, and most importantly she said one last thing.  
"His name is Balinor, and he's a captured Dragon Lord."

The star seemed impressed by that knowledge. "Maybe you're not making any of this up, there haven't been many Dragon Lords lately, haven't been many dragons, so I can't say for certain, but if your father is a Dragon Lord, he might have enough magic to harness star power. Come along, Merlin."

The man was limping, but still led the way, Merlin having to move to catch up.

"Wait!" Merlin called after him. "I don't even know your name."

"Arthur," the star answered. "My name is Arthur."

 

Through the rest of the night, Merlin tried to keep up with Arthur as he told him the story of everything that had passed back on the other side of the wall. He'd explained that he was out drinking with Will, that he thought he had magic, and everything his mother had told him about his origin. Arthur wasn't as forthcoming with information, and mostly kept walking ahead, annoyed by his new companion. It was impressive how fast Arthur could walk for most of the night, especially given that he scaled the crater with far more ease than Merlin could. Merlin had slipped and almost fallen at least twice on the journey out. It would have been easy for Arthur to leave him behind, but for whatever reason he didn't. Merlin noticed, as the sun started to rise, that Arthur became more and more tired, until he stopped completely to rest.

"What're you doing?" he asked, kneeling down by the star.

"It's midday. I'm tired. My leg hurts, no thanks to you, I'm going to rest."

"You can't rest midday! Now's the best time to be walking and we can't be far from that village now, we've just got to keep to this road."

"I'm tired, Merlin. You've run out of stories to tell and even you're bored of your presence. Did you know that you're obsessed with your friend Will?"

Merlin blushed, but deflected from that thought. "I can't be gone for too long, or my mother will worry that something awful happened to me. The sooner we find my father, the better."

"Your father's been missing for eighteen years, what's another few days?" Arthur closed his eyes. "I promise you we'll find him."

With a sigh, Merlin started to walk. "I'm going to walk forward, look for the village, stay right here, do you understand? You're not to move a muscle, you need to stay right here. If you move even a tree away, I'll lose you forever."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Arthur settled more comfortably. "I need your candle to get home."

"I mean it, Arthur," Merlin said as a warning. He reached into his bag, pulling out one of the apples his mother had packed for him. "Eat this, if you get hungry. I'm not really sure if stars eat."

Arthur made a noncommittal grunt and crossed his arms, leaning more comfortably against the tree. Merlin took a glance up at the sky and realized that there were no stars in the sky. He'd just make a quick jaunt to find the nearest village and then be back to find Arthur before nighttime had even fallen again. And if Arthur did disappear? Well, Merlin still had the candle and could work out another way to find his father. There was no way the help of an arrogant star was necessary for him to complete this task, after all.

 

There were, of course, a few things Merlin didn't account for when leaving Arthur to his own devices. The first was that he was really, really bad at directions and easily got lost. Night fell and he didn't find anything more than a hut inhabited by an old man who only gave him more apples to eat. Another thing he didn't account for was just how different this place was from where he was used to. It didn't even dawn on him to consider that if you left an innocent creature of magic in the woods alone, another innocent creature of magic, namely a unicorn, may or may not approach them and take them away.

Nonetheless, the third thing he didn't account for was perhaps more dire. Merlin, frankly, understood nothing about stars, and Arthur did his best to keep Merlin out of that loop for that very reason. Stars were, obviously, magic and had magical properties. They couldn't control magic outside of their own natural abilities or cast spells or anything like that, it was rather their essence that was the thing of magic. They possessed something so powerful; immortality, that whenever one fell, it became a dash to find the star and cut out its heart. The possession, usually in the form of consumption, of a star's heart would lead to eternal life, beauty, and youth. It was a barbaric, very old fashioned practice, the eating of a star's heart, and few still did it, but a few people is more than enough to end a life.

The issue with this is that a star plummeting to the ground will not go without notice, and on this side of the wall, there were ample people who knew what a star means. And there are people who will do whatever it takes to get the heart of a star. The first of these people was the witch, Morgana, who along with her sister Morgause, had eaten the hearts of many stars. She'd used the last bit of heart- the last bit of youth- left to make her journey, chasing runes to find wherever the star may be.

She'd used the magic she could, and the runes, to pursue the direction of the star. Magic could find magic and she was certain she'd find her way. It was a bit of an issue, though, that the star seemed to be on the move. Stars were supposed to stay still, especially during the daylight hours. Whatever the star was doing, it was moving when it should be sleeping, and would possibly be sleeping when it should be moving.. Morgana stopped, taking a moment to communicate with her beloved sister.

"There is no star, I'm fairly certain we're being led on a chase," she said, speaking into a bracelet on her wrist. "No star would wander during the day, unless there's some fool who doesn't know what to do with a star involved."

"Oh, sister, my sweet sister, there is a star. You just have to wait, right here, and let the star come to you."

"What do you mean?"

"The star's on the way, the star will come to you before the end of the night. Now lay a trap, use our magic and the star will be ours."

The sisters had a close bond, a shared magic that had kept them together for centuries. True, there was pettiness in their bond, especially in sharing stars, but they had the same goal in this. Morgause, though jealous that she was not out pursuing the star, could speak to her own magic, and knew what the star would look like.

"A trap. I think I can come up with something." She grinned wickedly and went about her way. On a night such as that night, a wandering star would be looking for shelter and the warmth of a fire, after all.

"You're looking for a fair haired youth, this star appears male. He's injured, and on the back of a unicorn."

"How wonderful," Morgana answered. "I've been thinking that we'll have to give him a warm reception tonight at the family inn and see if we can't get him in a better mood."

 

Arthur was an innocent and it had begun to rain, so he thought very little of stopping at the first inn that his friend the unicorn had led him to. He dismounted and knocked on the door, just a few times before it was answered by a beautiful young woman with dark hair.

"It's raining," Arthur stated. "I need some shelter until the rain lets up, if you'll let me in."

"Of course, of course," the woman answered, smiling warmly at her new guest. "I'll let you stay in my best room, you poor thing. You're all alone and cold out here int he wilderness, aren't you? You don't even have any shoes on your feet."

Arthur glanced down at his bare feet, then looked back up. "My, erm. The unicorn."

"Oh, don't worry about him." The woman all but slammed the door in the creature's face. "Resilient creatures, not particularly bright. He'll just wander off and find another virgin to pay attention to for a few hours. I think you could use a bath, sir. Don't you think?"

"A bath? Aren't I already wet?" he asked, tempted to shake some of the water off of him.

"Warm water does wonders, especially when you're cold."

Arthur shrugged and stepped further inside to inspect the inn. There are no other guests, but he supposed it was more or less in the middle of nowhere, isn't it? The woman interrupted, holding out a bathrobe to him and instructing him to strip and put it on. He at least had the social cues to know to leave the room to change into the robe.

The bath, once he'd sunken down into it, was warm and it felt very different from being drenched in the rain. The innkeeper had put something into the water that made it smell lovely, and it did away with all of his worries, and the pain in his leg. For the first time since his crash landing, he felt comfortable and even managed a faint glow. The bath lasted an indulgently long while as he scrubbed and relaxed. Maybe he could stay here forever and forget about Merlin and his probably actually awful plan. Eventually, though, the innkeeper appeared alongside the bath, holding out his robe and chiding him for staying in so long, lest he get pruny. Arthur had enough vanity to dread getting pruny, even if he wasn't sure what exactly that word meant.

He stepped out of the tub and wrapped himself in the robe, occupying himself with keeping in the warmth. Then, of course, that great blundering man Merlin came bursting in, drenched in rain, and throwing his hand out. Arthur had started to yell when he heard something clatter behind him- the innkeeper with a large shard of glass falling backwards.  
"We have to go. Now!" Merlin exclaimed, holding out his hand to the star.

Arthur blinked a few times before rushing towards Merlin, towards the door that slammed shut and bolted closed.

"You've got a warlock on your side, star," the innkeeper said darkly as she rose. Her hair hung over her face and she gave them a dangerous look, extending her hand so flames leapt around them, framing and trapping them against the door.

The two men backed square against the door, trapped against it. Trapped by the flames, with a woman who must be some sort of evil coming after them with a very large shard of glass. Arthur moved into a fighting stance, moving in front of Merlin, as though a star would know anything about keeping someone safe.

"I wish I'd gotten your heart when you were at peace." She laughed wildly. "But I'll eat a star's heart in any state."

"Eat your hea-" Merlin began, but was cut off by the star reaching behind him and fumbling into his pocket. Arthur wrapped his hand around the candle.

"Home," he said. "Think of home."

Merlin didn't have time to ask another question before Arthur thrust the candle into the flame and everything went blurry. He'd thought of home, briefly, of his mother's smiling face when he'd brought back his father. Arthur must have had another thing in mind, however, because that was far from where they ended up.

"What the hell?" Arthur exclaimed, but the sound was drowned out by a thunderclap. They were on clouds, in the storm. The air around them was heavy and dark, almost like they were swimming through the fog. Merlin felt unsteady and reached for the star for some sort of comfort or stability. "This is not my home!" Arthur looked angry and disappointed. "I said to think of home."

"I was thinking of my home, clotpole, not yours. Which is the normal thing to do," he shouted.

"Sorry I didn't have time to clarify when I was saving your life!"

"Sorry you're the one who ran off and almost got yourself killed by a woman carrying around a glass shard."

"A witch," Arthur stated. "She was a witch. And so are you, Merlin, but you can't even get to your own damn father."

"Shut up, shut up!"

There was a loud clap and then something weighing them down, a thick net wrapping around them and pulling them close. Merlin looked up to see some rather unsavory looking faces staring down at them. Someone, a man who even in the storm he could tell was handsome, spoke.

"And what pretty boys do we have here, then?"


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin woke the next morning with an aching head and a rather sore everything. He was lying on the floor of what appeared to be a ship's brig, but there was no tell tale rocking that would tell him that he was on a boat. Not that Merlin would know, because he'd never been on a boat before in his life. He sat up and rubbed his head, groaning at the pain. He looked around, first outside the bars where a rattily dressed man was dozing, then over to the wall where Arthur sat, looking like he was trying to scheme.

"Well, good morning to you," Arthur greeted drily.

"Where the hell are we?" Merlin answered, surprisingly glad to see that Arthur was around. At least he wasn't going to die alone. There were probably worse people to die around than Arthur, as awful as it may be to admit that.

"You probably don't remember because you passed out like a child from being knocked on the head by what I believe are...Sky Pirates?" He shrugged. "They harvest lightning, I think. I've been trying to listen in and gather information. Just in case."

"Just in case we'll actually survive this?"

"Yup. Just in case we'll find a way out of this."

Merlin sighed and looked over at the man he presumed was their guard in their meagre cell.

"Listen I know this isn't the time for this but- what did that witch mean about your heart?"

Arthur looked warily at Merlin, then down at his own feet. "She wanted to eat my heart." They were probably going to die anyway. "Because whoever has the heart of a star lives forever."

"Oh." 

"Oh? Is that all you're going to say? Oh?" Arthur gestured.

"What else am I supposed to say?" he asked. "It's weird, but everything about here is weird, Arthur. There's candles that can take you anywhere you want to go-"

"Which we don't have any longer, because we used it to escape a witch."

"You made that call," Merlin stated. "You're the one who used the candle."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "And how did you expect to save us?"

Something clanged against the cage and the handsome man from the night before stood above them. He wore a pair of tall leather boots and a rather impressive looking coat.

"Good morning, gentleman. It's a beautiful day to live your last, isn't it?"

"Our last?" Merlin slowly rose to his feet. "We weren't doing anything. We were trying to save our lives."

"Up in the clouds? During a lightning storm, hardly."

"It's true. We lit a- a candle. There was a witch. I'm not from here, I don't know what this has to do with lightning."

The man laughed heartily, then turned to him. "And where are you from that you don't know about lightning?"

"Wall. The other side of the wall- not here. I'm from there."

Then something surprising happened. The man's eyes lit up and he leaned forward, giving a very pleased grin. "Well why didn't you say so earlier?"

The man pulled off his keys and opened up the cell, gesturing for Merlin and Arthur to leave. Neither of them hesitated, heading towards the cell door. Arthur kept his hands clenched at his side until he stept out, swinging a fist towards the stranger, who caught it in his hand.

"You've got fight, mate," the man said. "You'd make an excellent fighter. Ever thought about piracy?"

Arthur threw his head back in a laugh. "Not a chance in hell."

"Too bad, now come along before I change my mind."

They were shown into a large office like space with vast open windows. Merlin was amazed by the windows, and peers out. It became apparent that they were on some sort of ship, but not in the water, but in the sky. Clouds go by, and birds, and underneath there was rolling waves of hills and grass. It flowed by smoothly, unlike a boat that would deal with choppy water. It was as though they were sailing through the clouds themselves and, while Merlin had spent time with a star, he found this to be the most incredible thing he'd seen so far.

"This is incredible," he said quietly, taking in everything he can.

"Tell me more about the other side of the wall," the stranger cut in, settling down in his chair behind a wooden desk and leaning back.

"Before you introduce yourself?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms.

"How foolish of me." The man leaned back. "I'm Gwaine, and I'm captain of this ship and you...are wearing a bathrobe. So you're not as scary as you think you are. Not that you're scary at all, with this whelp of a boy for company."

Arthur looked down at his clothes, then back up to the stranger. "Gwaine. Do you have clothes I can borrow? My friend here, Merlin, can tell you about his hometown and maybe you can find him something to wear that's less shabby."

"I can do that." Gwaine winked at them. "I know how to dress to impress."

He stood and strode over to Arthur, placing his hand on the small of his back as he led him into his wardrobe. "Take your pick. Everything's replaceable. Pick something out for your 'friend' while you're in there as well."

"What does that mean?" Arthur asked, looking over at Merlin, who was still staring out the window like he'd never seen the sky before.

"You know, your friend. Your companion. The young fellow you're traveling with."

"Oh, Merlin's not my friend. He's just helping me find my way home and making my life miserable at intervals."

Merlin shot him a glare but didn't say a word, lest he reveal too much about Arthur. He couldn't just outright tell a pirate that his companion was a star. After all, if a witch was eager to cut out Arthur's heart and eat it, who's to say a pirate wouldn't do the same? At the very least, it wouldn't be surprising for a pirate to sell it at some market and then live off of the profits for selling a star's heart to the highest bidder.

Arthur browsed through the clothes, picking out one of the simpler suits for himself. Choosing something for Merlin, who was thinner than both Gwaine and himself, was more of a challenge, so he took his time to dig through the things. Gwaine had, in the meanwhile, moved back to his desk and encouraged Merlin to sit across from him, and tell him as much as he can about his life on the other side of the wall.

Merlin started to talk about his own humble life, living in the cottage with his mother and being raised by her alone. He wasn't sure if Gwaine would be interested in something so mundane as hearing about a farm boy's life growing up, but it was all he knew. He didn't know about the remote regions of the world or even about Scotland. He knew his hometown, where he was needed. As he talked, though, he realized how little he was actually needed, even by his mother who had been able to do most everything herself. Wasn't he just a hindrance, after all? And Will, Will didn't need him either. He was social and well liked and charming all on his own. It wasn't too hard to imagine what would happen with Will in the next few years. He'd flirt with some local girls, charm several of them, find the prettiest of the bunch and be married by the time he was twenty one. Merlin would be happy for him and realize that whatever life he could, theoretically, have with Will was not anything like what Will wanted for himself. Somehow he'd ended up talking about Will, but his jaw went slack and he took a moment to recover his speech when Arthur stepped out of the other room. He had chosen for himself a very well tailored jacket, buttoned up so that it was just tight enough across his chest, in a rich, deep shade of blue, and a pair of dove grey trousers with tall boots. The clothes clung to him like a well fitting glove, hugging all the contours of his body just right. The blue, of course, was about the same shade of blue as Arthur's eyes. What's more, though, is the man stood there like he looked no different than he had in the ill fitting tunic or the frumpy bathrobe. Arthur simply had no clue of the effect he could have on people.

With his oblivious air and desire to torment Merlin, Arthur stepped forward and thrust a bundle of clothing into Merlin's arms. "Change into these. Then you can finish boring Gwaine with how in love with Will you are."

Gwaine laughed warmly at that. He certainly wasn't going to say anything about his guest's interest in his friend. Or he was, at a more opportune moment for embarrassing him. Merlin held up the things and huffed, but still went to change anyway. His things were wrinkled and probably smelled just a bit. Even the shirt that his mother had packed for him was soaked through from the storm and probably wouldn't be wearable for another day or two. And he couldn't imagine himself wearing that in the company of other people without offending his mother by the sheer amount of wrinkles. Besides, he felt very underdressed around Arthur.

While they waited for Merlin, neither Gwaine nor Arthur had much to say. Arthur busied himself by looking around the room.

"Don't touch that," Gwaine warned, as Arthur picked up a sword.

Not one for taking orders, Arthur gave the sword a twirl and a swipe and Gwaine only raised a brow, impressed. Maybe he could convince his guests to stay on and join his crew. A few moments passed with Arthur parrying with nothing and Gwaine scheming before Merlin stepped out and the sword clattered to the ground.

The outfit Arthur had picked out for Merlin was simple enough, a pair of light brown trousers and a red tunic, with a soft jacket that seemed tailored just right. The young man wore it well, it fit him almost too well for something from someone else's closet. The clothes weren't as fitted as what Arthur was wearing, but they worked for Merlin and his charming, rustic style. Arthur fumbled to pick up the sword, placing it safely back down on Gwaine's desk. Admittedly, stars don't take much time to think about what sort of human things they find attractive, so Arthur didn't know how to react, but he wasn't oblivious to what it meant to be so suddenly distracted by Merlin.

"I think you should learn how to fight," Gwaine said, standing to clap Arthur on the back. "I'm going to fetch some food for you two, don't get any ideas while I'm gone."

The two others looked between themselves. They could probably, in theory, stage an escape, but Merlin wasn't so sure that Gwaine was as malicious as he wanted to seem. Pirates might also know more than the average person and maybe with luck this could lead to him finding his father. As long as the bit about Arthur being a star remained a secret, they should be safe to hide amongst Gwaine and his crew for a few days.

Gwaine chuckled as he left, leaving his guests to entertain themselves.

"So. We never discussed the fact that you have magic," Arthur said bluntly. "Which I should have known with you being the son of a Dragon Lord but..."

Merlin fiddled with his sleeves for a few moments before speaking. "I didn't know I had magic. It just happens now. All on its own."

"That's powerful magic, Merlin," Arthur said, stepping towards him. "Incredibly powerful and potentially dangerous. You knocked a star out of the sky with your powers. That was your powers that dislodged me."

"I know, alright!" he exclaimed. "You say this like it wasn't just two nights ago. I know there's something really, really weird going on, and I don't know what to do. But I have to find my father and here's not a bad place to be looking."

"You want to earn the trust of the pirates," Arthur said, picking up the sword to inspect it thoroughly. Something about the sword in his hand really did feel right, the weight of the steel and the graceful movements it made when he parried. "You think they'll know where to find your father, because if anyone knows where a missing man is, it's a pirate."

"Yes." Merlin stepped back towards the window. "I want to find my father and then maybe he could find you a candle to help you go back home."

Arthur smiled at Merlin, when he had his back turned when he was squared away from him. Merlin hadn't even said anything about the potential for immortality, or considered abandoning helping him. He shouldn't trust pirates himself, in case they harmed him, but he'd humour Merlin, just for a few days. This was a man, barely more than a boy, needing help, and Arthur wouldn't be the one to deny that. Besides, while he knew he couldn't trust pirates, he was beginning to realize that he could trust Merlin. There was something pure and simple about him that reassured Arthur. If Merlin was to double cross him, he wouldn't be so good at play acting his deception. Plus, if Arthur had learned to fight with the swords properly...

Gwaine came back then, holding two trays of food and moving them onto the desk.

"We're staying," Arthur said resolutely. "I'd like you to train me and Merlin will...entertain you with stories or whatever it is you want."

"Excellent, I'll have beds made up for you. Though you might have to stay in the store room."


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take long for Merlin to realise that Gwaine and his men are not as fearsome as they may claim to be. There was no doubt that under the right circumstances, they could run somebody though, but because they had no cause to believe either Merlin or Arthur were conspiring against them, they treated them like old friends. Gwaine, later that very first day, gave Arthur his first swordfighting lesson. Much to Gwaine's chagrin, Arthur was a natural and picked up swordfighting faster than any other person he'd ever encountered.

When Merlin first went to settle into his new bedroom, or rather a corner of the store room with two cots made up, he discovered that the room had an entire crate of books. In the bottom of the crate were a few books about magic, so he made reading up on magic and how to control his powers his own projects. It was well and good that Arthur was learning to be a fighter, but Merlin was not that sort and wanted to find his own way on their journey. That night he settled in with the books and read until the candles were all extinguished. Arthur didn't mind because he hadn't yet mastered the sleeping at night aspect of no longer being a shining star in the sky.

They'd spent that night in companionable silence. Merlin watched as Arthur tossed and turned, and Arthur would occasionally make comments about the day or anything he could think of. The cots were not particularly comfortable, but more comfortable than the ground they would have to sleep on if they were elsewhere. Besides, it was kind of the pirates to take them in rather than violently murder them. In the books, Merlin found information about the root of magic, about how to tap into it. Apparently, it was rare for someone to be a natural with the skill, at least the way he apparently was. Witches and wizards earned their right to be magical. He'd thumbed through the books, too, to find out any information he could muster about Dragon Lords. There was usually a snippet or some few sentences, but from what he could gather, these men relied on the magic of nature and could commune with the dragons themselves. Dragons, to Merlin, just seemed terrifying, and like something he was nowhere near willing or ready to face. Still, he was charmed by the concept of a greater purpose.

It was nearly noon when he awoke and dressed carefully before stepping out onto the deck to look for Arthur. The store room was in the remote parts of the ship, and he ended up making the rounds through just about every other chamber, even stopping for breakfast on the way. It felt like a maze and he was relieved to push only a door and be confronted with fresh air. He found Arthur only a few moments later, watching over the railing. Merlin joined him, leaning over and bumping his shoulder against Arthur's.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Merlin asked and it was. The sun was shining just enough, there was a breeze, and it was just warm enough to enjoy being outdoors.

"The sun is a tyrant," Arthur mumbled. "Daytime is miserable more often than not. I don't know how you lot do it."

"The sun must be a big bully where you come from." Merlin leaned over the railing of the ship, watching as the clouds rolled by like waves on the ocean. Or like he'd imagined the ocean because he'd never been.

"I wouldn't say a bully, not necessarily." He shakes his head. "Just hefts around his weight a lot, that's all. Especially given that the sun is not a necessarily large star. Just a star with an inflated sense of importance because of dealing with earth."

"I'm not even going to ask if you know the sun personally." Merlin laughed, turning his gaze downward towards the ground below. They were passing over a vast forest filled with tall, green trees. The tops of some of the trees would graze along the ship, just barely out of reach. He imagined what must be down there, what familiar and what fantastical things. He longed to be on the ground and to explore, to see what else this part of the world had to offer. But he had to find his father. That was what he was working towards. Maybe once he'd found his father, he could explore and discover. He wasn't so limited in options anymore.

"Merlin, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure." 

"Back at the inn, how'd you know to find me?"

Merlin turned to his companion and took a few moments to mull over what he had to say. A star surely wouldn't think he was acting strange. Arthur had seen everything in his time. Arthur probably knew what was down in those woods.

"I heard voices. In my head, they told me that you were in danger and they told me to follow them and that if I didn't save you, you'd die. That someone wanted your heart."

"The other stars," Arthur supplied. "My brothers and sisters, they're watching you and me."

The smile that tugged at Merlin's lips was going to come, no matter how he fought against it. "Yeah, I suppose that's it. Can they do that to all people or is that just people with magic?"

"I don't know, I suppose they could do that to everyone but maybe your magic makes you someone important. It probably does, I mean- yeah."

Realization dawned upon him as he talked. Arthur reached along his neckline, tugging very gently at a chain until he pulled out the amulet. "I thought you were a clueless boy and you didn't need something like this. But maybe you do." He started to lift the chain. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I still had it."

"No, no, keep it," he said, before he could even process what he was saying. "It clearly wanted to go to you. It's what connects you to finding my father, it knew to search for a star, not a farm boy."

"You're not a farm boy, Merlin." Arthur shook his head. "You're a powerful sorcerer, a Dragon Lord, a rather remarkable young man. But if you tell anyone, and I do mean anyone, that I said that, I will run you through with a sword."

He raised his hands and backed away in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright. I won't tell anyone how great you think I am. It'll be our secret. I swear on my mother's life." Merlin crossed his fingers.

That earned him an eye roll and Arthur leaning out over to admire the view.

"It's strange, because from your perspective, this is the sky, the same as my home is the sky. But this is so far away from home, where I was before. This is so turbulent and...full of adventure. It's not just sitting around and waiting for something to happen that you can watch and then tell everyone else you know to watch, too. In the sky, down on land, you can be something more than just...A star. Or a human."

Merlin sighed and leaned back beside him. "I was just a farm boy, until a few days ago. I woke up, I did my chores, I ate my meals. The best bits of my day were when I had time to read a book or to spend time with Will."

"But you always had the option to choose, even if there were challenges. Mostly the challenge of how dull Will sounds, but I digress. I literally had no choice until some...clotpole knocked me out of the sky and brought me here. Not that I'm grateful for it, Merlin. You still very much so owe me and need to get me back up where I belong."

"I don't know, I think I heard gratitude for giving you an adventure."

"Ah yes, you're right. There's a witch who wants to eat my heart and pirates who are only keeping me alive because they like that I can swing a sword."

"But there's also me."

That won a very, very exaggerated groan. "The worst bit of this alleged adventure, a Merlin."

"If you like, I could go back to talking about Will. I don't think I've told you yet what color eye- ow!"

At that moment, Arthur took Merlin into a headlock, vigorously rubbing his hair, and refused to let him go until he had a formal promise to never, ever talk about Will again unless it was absolutely necessary. Merlin wasn't so sure he had much else to say, think, or feel about Will, but the fondness of the childhood behind him.

 

That evening, Merlin sat outside, enjoying the breeze and watching Gwaine and Arthur parry. Arthur did have a natural talent for swordfighting that Merlin couldn't quite understand. Maybe stars were just naturally good at many things, in addition to being good looking and oddly charming. He blushed deeply at the thought of finding Arthur good looking, but there really was no denying it. When he'd first met him and he was clad in his shapeless but elegant tunic, he looked otherworldly, but now that he was in more human clothes he looked downright regal and put together like some long forgotten member of a royal family. Even in his newer, nicer things, Merlin felt like he was still the same humble farm boy compared to his new friend. Arthur was so handsome, it was as if he glowed, radiating his golden good looks as he defeated Gwaine in their fight.

Gwaine moved over to the other man, shaking his hand to congratulate him.

"You're far too damn good at this, Art. Are you sure you didn't study before?" he asked, tossing back a sip from the ale he had waiting to drink.

The ship deck was kept neat and clean, dark wood with no ornament but an elegant design. On fair weather evenings, the men would bring the tables and chairs onto deck and pass away the time enjoying the outdoors and all the calmness it brought. It was a good change from chasing lightning storms. Gwaine, as was his habit, insisted that a keg of ale be brought up to celebrate their new friends.

"I've been watching, I suppose." He shrugged. "For a long time, ever since I was very little I was fascinated by fighting. Part of me always liked the idea of going to war."

"Don't do it, mate." Gwaine patted his arm. "War is something you should always keep away from. If you're going to die, let it be for a noble cause."

"There have been noble wars, Gwaine," Arthur stated sternly. "You are fascinated enough by the history of the other side of the wall to know that."

"Fair enough, fair enough. I don't want to argue. It's a lovely night, I've got a pint. Your admirer is over there watching you like you're the most interesting thing he's ever seen."

"Merlin is not my admirer. Merlin's in love with his friend, back in his village. I'm sure that you've heard him mention Will. That name only comes up about a dozen times a day."

"Aye, I've heard about Will." Gwaine passed another pint on to Arthur. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, loosen up and enjoy your night. William, if that's his full name, is not here, and you are."

Merlin had stood then, making his way over to his friends, and so he could have a pint of ale himself. He'd only ever had his stolen drinks of whiskey before and an occasional glass of wine. Hunith wanted Merlin to stay temperate until he was old enough to drink and make his own decisions. Dammit, he'd crossed the wall and he was flying with sky pirates, he certainly was old enough now. He poured a drink for himself, then turned to face Arthur, feeling awkward about how precisely to hold a pint.

"That was excellent to watch," he stated. "A bit like dancing- just more violent."

"So nothing like dancing. Because dancing is not violent."

"The way you moved, it was elegant, each step deliberate and used to your best advantage. That's dancing."

"What do you know about dancing?"

Merlin took a sip of his ale. "I used to go to dances, back home. Wasn't elegant like that, but some of the...higher class people were. It was always fun to watch."

"A country dance, you say?" Gwaine cut in. "Well, I think we could always convince my Percival to get out his fiddle and play something. But we're a bit short on women."

"That's alright. I'm not naturally good at everything," Arthur said.

"Oh, that's so very modest of you," Merlin teased. "Because you have to be good at something to enjoy it, right?"

"I said no such thing. I'm sure I would enjoy dancing if I wasn't tired from whooping Gwaine in swordfighting."

"Sometime, Arthur, we'll dance," Merlin warned. "And you'll even enjoy yourself."

Arthur threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. "Not a chance, but I'll give it a try."

 

Merlin retired for the night with the warm buzz of alcohol in his head and his stomach, and something else that he didn't exactly have the words for. He changed into the night things Gwaine had provided and lit his candle, determined to do some reading before he succumbed to sleep.

It wasn't long after that Arthur slipped into the room, already stripping down for the night.

"I was wondering when you'd be coming to bed. You should know your limits with alcohol."

"Psh," Arthur replied, waving him off. "This body can process alcohol very fast, there's really nothing to worry about at all."

"Just let me know how your head is feeling tomorrow morning, alright?"

A jacket was very promptly thrown at Merlin's face. Merlin shoved it to the ground and had opened his mouth to say something, but was granted the sight of Arthur pulling off his shirt, revealing his bare chest. It wasn't that Merlin had never seen another man without clothes on before, he'd seen it several times, but Arthur had a very well built physique, firm but not in a way that showed conceit. He blushed deeply and hid his face in his book to avoid staring any further. The last thing he needed was Arthur thinking he was strange, or rather more strange. Besides, if he was going to turn into a blushing fool around Arthur every time, things were only going to end poorly.

"I'll be feeling fine tomorrow, I'm a star. I can handle these things very easily."

"Whatever you say, Arthur. I'm not going to argue this with you. Hangovers happen, though, even to people who fell out of the sky."

"I'm not a people, I'm a star."

Merlin rolled his eyes and looks up just in time to see Arthur step into the more comfortable trousers he was given for sleeping. Then, of course, as if designed to torment Merlin, Arthur climbed into his cot without bothering with the sleep shirt.

"Do you mind that the candle is bright?"

"Not at all, I won't sleep through the night anyway. What are you reading about?"

"The origins of magic in this world, or something. I'm not really sure what any of this means, and I'm no closer to answers."

"Gwaine said we're going on ground tomorrow, so we can look for answers. Or get off board altogether, if that's what you like."

There was definitely much good that would be done by walking on solid ground again, but Merlin really did feel lost as to where his father might be. Eventually he'd have to just pluck up the courage to ask Gwaine and hope that asking didn't result in death. The pirate did seem to trust them, and even like them, so hopefully he'd be understanding that Merlin was just a boy looking for his father.

"I think...I don't know. Here seems as good as anywhere to find him, isn't it?" Merlin asked, peering over at Arthur.

"I wouldn't mind more fighting lessons. And more ale, but if they make me dance, I'm jumping overboard."

The amount of self control it took to keep Merlin from laughing was unbelievable, but he managed it, nonetheless, even if it meant he kept his smile to himself. 

"You'd plummet to the ground and that'd be the last anyone saw of you."

"Is that a problem? Would you miss me? That's sweet of you, Merlin."

"No, I wouldn't miss you." He rolled his eyes. "But you might be valuable to me, or my father, and I can't have that."

"Here I thought I had been growing on you."

"Like a fungus, Arthur. Like an awful fungus."

In the end, they were both too hungover the next morning to leave the ship, so instead they have a bit of a lie-in. Gwaine, in his business transaction, found out some interesting information that he took to heart, but he didn't say a word. The rest of the day proceeded as the previous two, and then a day after that, and another. Merlin wouldn't admit to himself that he selfishly wished these days would never end.


	5. Chapter 5

By the evening of the fourth day, Merlin finally had enough courage plucked up to talk to Gwaine about the matter of his father. There was also something else weighing heavily on Merlin's mind, mostly that when he found his father he would very likely not see Arthur again. Something about that thought became hard to cope with and, if he was looking at Arthur the right way when he had that thought, he'd even find it difficult to breathe.

There was no explanation for it. Arthur constantly antagonized him, he had a rather large ego, and he wasn't even necessarily Merlin's type. Yet, when he entered the room, Merlin instantly was drawn to him, like a moth to a glowing flame. (And really he did seem to glow sometimes, after a good sword fight, or when he and Merlin were teasing each other.) He desired to be around Arthur, even when being teased by the star, and wanted to make sure that he helped make Arthur laugh and smile whenever he could. It was not exactly like what he'd experienced with Will, because Will he felt hopeless and concealed and a bit like a lost little boy. With Arthur he felt more in control, more able to grasp who he was and what this meant. There was a cruelty, though, in holding on to this and prolonging his father's potential captivity. He didn't know where his father was, or how he was faring, and no son could possibly leave someone who could be so dear to him to suffer.

He was sitting that evening on deck, next to Arthur, telling him some absurd stories about the exploits of his childhood, as if they meant anything at all, when Gwaine walked by. Merlin stopped speaking, and stood, not before passing a glance over at Arthur.

"Can I have a word with you, Gwaine?" he asked.

"Of course, Merlin." Gwaine winked at him. "Take a walk around deck with me."

Merlin stayed close beside Gwaine, formulating his words carefully before he spoke. "I'm on a quest."

"A quest? I suppose I could have guessed that."

"A very specific quest," Merlin added. "I'm looking for a man, goes by the name of Balinor."

"Balinor?" Gwaine repeated, stroking his chin, just a bit, as though that made him think any better than he'd originally intended. "The sorcerer. I've only ever heard that name, like fairy stories growing up."

"But you have heard of him?" Merlin shot him a hopeful look.

"Dragon Lord. Kind soul. Disappeared about twenty years ago."

"Sounds about right."

"What do you want with him anyway?"

"He's erm. Balinor is my father."

Gwaine raised a brow, and continued to walk on. "That's impossible. He's been missing for over twenty years, and you're certainly not old enough to have been conceived before then."

"Not impossible. My mother- how could a woman from my side of the wall come up with something as true as that? I was conceived once he was a captive, you see. He'd fallen in love with a girl from the other side and they'd- well they'd done what young people in love do, and then nine months later, little baby me came along, and I didn't know, she'd never told me, until very recently."

A skeptical look crossed Gwaine's face as he tried to process what Merlin was saying. He then clapped Merlin on the shoulder with a lighthearted fondness.

"If it means that much to you, I'll ask where to find him next time we're on land."

"Really? No stipulations or conditions?"

"Well now that you bring it up...."

"No, no. That's alright." Merlin grinned. "Thank you. Your friendship means a lot to me."

"Pirates have to be many things, and loyal friends is one of them, Merlin."

Merlin bit back a laugh. He was fairly certain that of the many things pirates had to be, loyalty wasn't really something that was necessary. In truth, Gwaine and his crew were rubbish pirates, but he didn't have the heart to tell them, when they'd been so kind to both himself and Arthur over the last several days. They'd given Merlin extra portions of food, and Percy, the first mate, had played some of Merlin's favourite songs on his fiddle. He felt at home, and he'd begun to reconsider his definition of home.

 

Merlin had told Arthur, once the light of the candles was low, that Gwaine would find his father. Arthur seemed happy at the prospect of Merlin finding his father, he even managed a smile, but he was quiet after that. If Merlin didn't know that Arthur was a star and had trouble sleeping at night, he'd have assumed he was fast asleep.  
"What are you going to do when you go back home?" Merlin asked, once he'd settled under his blanket.

"I don't know Merlin." Arthur turned to face him with a huff. "Maybe shine?"

"Is that really all you do up there, Arthur? It sounds kind of boring."

"It's complicated. Star stuff is complicated. We see each other, we spend time with each other, we each have our own hobbies and interests. It's just the world around us is...dull. Here you have such an exciting world that I think people forget that they're the most interesting bit of it."

"What I heard from all of that is that you love humans."

"I do no such thing."

"You do. You loooove them. You think we're the best thing."

"Maybe not humans like you." Arthur took that opportunity to toss his pillow directly at Merlin. His triumph was short lived when he realized that this left him without something to rest his head on. There was no way he'd be able to manage any sleep without the most comfortable cot he could manage. "Merlin, can you give me back my pillow?"

"Not a chance, Arthur, not a chance."

Arthur stood, rather grumpily and approached the other cot. Merlin's only defense was to hold on tight to the pillow, and Arthur's only defense was to lean half on the cot to try to wrestle it from his arms. They were both closer than they'd ever been before, or at least in a whole new way, and Merlin only relinquished the pillow when he felt a flopping sensation in the pit of his stomach. The best option was to give Arthur the triumph, because with good luck, they'd find Balinor soon. That meant that Arthur would have to go home. Then Merlin wouldn't have to think about these things he'd been feeling and what they meant for him, or Arthur, or when he went home to Will.

Still, that didn't mean that Merlin didn't lay facing Arthur's cot that night. But that night, unlike any night before, Arthur kept a steady glow, much like he'd have when fighting or smiling brightly. Something about the glow made everything feel right and Merlin didn't mind facing it, even if it was light facing directly into his eyes as he slept. It was comforting, and it was just as much home as everything else new he'd discovered that had begun to feel familiar.

 

They were on board the ship for two more days before they decided to go onshore with Gwaine. Arthur handled being on solid land again with grace and even a sense of relief. Merlin was unsure of how to walk or how he ever walked on anything but a sky ship before. The pirates had business to attend to, but Merlin and Arthur sat by the ship for a while, enjoying the place where sky meets land meets water. They've gotten used to each other these days, the quiet moments and the louder ones. Much to Arthur's happiness, Merlin's stopped talking so much about Will. The only person he even mentioned from his home is his mother and Arthur found Merlin's fondness for her one of his better qualities.

"I never asked you, Merlin," Arthur said, pointedly looking away from his companion. "What do you plan to do when you go home? You're not exactly a farmboy anymore, are you?"

"No, I suppose I'm not." He shrugged. "I could travel, I guess. It depends how I find my father and where and lots of things. But I don't think I'd be content with just doing chores around a farm anymore. Though traveling takes money, which has always been an issue. I suppose I could find a job on a boat or something, so that my job involved traveling."

Arthur bit his lip. He wouldn't fit in Merlin's world, and Merlin wouldn't want to join him in his, but here, on this side of the wall, as long as Merlin kept his secret safe, they could be in the same world. There wasn't really a way to express that wish, or to keep Merlin from his mother. No doubt, he'd learn to resign himself early enough. Someday he'd find Merlin's ears funny looking again and not charming as he did now. Stars lived a long time, they could forget things easily. Perhaps the issue was that stars could also remember and that if something stuck in the memory, forgetting became nearly impossible.

"Would you be able to come here? On the other side?" Arthur asked. "It's easier travel, and adventure, and whatever you're seeking out."

"I don't know if I'm necessarily actively seeking adventure. But I suppose I have spent a week on a pirate ship now, so that's adventure in and of itself."

Merlin shifted on the grass. He wasn't sure what this particular place was. It may be a lake or the ocean or something else altogether, but sky ships and water ships congregated for trading and resting. None of the ports he'd read about in England had been envisioned exactly like this. Even the familiar bits were unfamiliar.

"You're an adventurer. When your mum told you that you had a dad and he was far away, you jumped at the opportunity to find him."

"Maybe I've just got a big heart, and I want to see people I love be happy. Like my mum."

"You can be both." He nodded. 

"I don't know how I can be both of those things. I don't know if I can ever be the same person I was again. Or what person I want to be."

There was no guarantee that after this, if he even found his father, that he'd ever have another adventure, that he'd ever be this person again. He liked this version of himself very much, he felt like he could really be someone. Besides, he'd been able to do some basic spells like floating items or making flowers bloom. He might not even have this sort of power, this sort of connection to magic, back home.

"You are both, you've got to believe it, right?"

"Oh, shut up."

"I was just trying to make you feel better."

"There's nothing to feel better about. I feel good right now."

Arthur smiled. "I do too."

He'd placed his hand over Arthur's just in time for Gwaine to appear beside them. They stood up, brushing off their clothes. It was time to get back on board.

"I've got a hint about your father, Merlin."


	6. Chapter 6

"There's a cave," Gwaine said, once they were back and safe in his quarters. "About a day's journey from here, where the merchants say a strange, lone man lives. He matches the description of your father. Of course, he's not being...held prisoner or whatever it is that you're saying."

"He could be, right? In a cave now, not a...whatever that was before." Merlin shook his head. "We've got to check it out, Arthur and I. We could walk if you prefer, we could walk there."

"No, I'll take you there, I insist. There's a town nearby, obviously, that might want some lightning."

They shared their broad, friendly smiles. Merlin and Gwaine had struck up a friendship, mostly based on Merlin telling stories and Gwaine being charmed by them. It worked. Arthur looked oddly displeased at this, but stood with his arms crossed.

"That's very nice of you, Gwaine, thank you. I won't forget your kindness."

"Damn right you won't. You'll owe me one day."

"Of course, I'll do whatever you ask."

Gwaine winked at him. "One last night of swordplay and stories, I think. We should send you off properly, since you're both basically part of the crew."

Merlin nodded and headed towards the door. "In that case I should think of my best stories, shouldn't I?"

 

There wasn't time for stories that night. Gwaine had Percy bring out his fiddle to play and Merlin was forced into teaching everyone a new dance. He even pulled Arthur up into the fold and onto the deck. Arthur insisted on leading, which only led to them stepping on each other's toes and laughing half the night away. Neither of them knew how to dance, as it turned out, but both were eager to learn (or relearn, in Merlin's case.)

Merlin was fully aware of how fond he'd grown of Arthur in the past few days, how he loved when he was glowing when no one was watching, or how he seemed to enjoy very few things more than sparring with Gwaine. He'd be a fool to not realize that he had feelings for him, but he also would still have to deal with the fact that soon, Arthur would be home, and he'd be home, and this adventure would just be another story. He'd tell Will his story and Will would shake his head at him and think he was a fool and Merlin's stomach wouldn't flip the way it used to anymore, at least not for some time, while he still thought of Arthur. Even if he could choose to make himself fall back in love with Will, he wouldn't. Will wanted a different life and deserved to do what made him happy.

"Am I doing this right?" Arthur asked, when he missteped completely and nearly crushed Merlin's toe.

"Not a chance, not a chance at all." Merlin laughed and showed him the correct steps, which Arthur learned with the ease and grace he learned most anything he did.

Gwaine stepped in, tapping on Arthur's shoulder gently and asking to cut in. Arthur shot a look over his shoulder at Merlin but went aside to Gwaine.

"There's something we should probably talk about before you go off...wherever with Merlin," Gwaine said, encouraging Arthur to walk towards the side of the ship with him. There no one would overhear them.

Arthur frowned. He didn't know what Gwaine could possibly have to say that was any of his business. "What is it?"

"I know...maybe my crew knows, I know that Merlin knows that you're a star," he stated, leaning over the edge to look out onto the dusky sky. The earliest stars were making their appearance that night and it seemed a fitting time to have this discussion, when he thought about it.

Instinctively, Arthur stepped away, but then stepped forward. "You won't tell anyone, will you?" Unlike Merlin, Gwaine was likely raised with the stories of what stars could do, and pirates were often not the kindest when it came to promises of glory or immortality. Arthur couldn't trust a few days kindness when it came down to it, not when gold or eternity was on the line.

"No." He shook his head. "I've no interest in threatening your life by telling anyone. You deserve to go back home. Or to find your home. Whichever of those two come to you first."

"Find my home?" Arthur looked over to Gwaine, who had looked over his shoulder at Merlin.

"I'm not going to give you some sentimental speech, but sometimes you find where you need to be very far from where you come from. Do you think I was always captain of some great flying vessel?"

"I'd assumed you inherited it, to be honest."

"...alright. Fair point, but still. Merlin's some...small town boy and you're this great, glittering thing in the sky. Neither of you should be here. And yet, here you are."

"I don't belong with Merlin, or rather, I don't think he really belongs with me."

"I think you're wrong, but I won't be the one to argue with you. Go back and dance with him, and I'll try not to tease too much for how much you glow."

Arthur glared at Gwaine, but it didn't keep him from making his way to Merlin to resume dancing.

 

After the night of dancing and some drinking, they retired for the night at the same time. Even Arthur was tired that night, it seemed, and laid down without saying much. Merlin read through his magic book until he was too tired to focus and then idly floated a candle around the room as he changed into his night things and double checked that his bags were packed.

"You're getting good at that," Arthur commented, watching Merlin move about the room.

"Been practicing it all week, that's all. That's such a small spell that I think children learn it."

"Still, you're good."

"I suppose I am." He smiled triumphantly. "Can stars do magic? I know you're inherently magic."

"We've got a few things we can do. Maybe I'll show you someday."

"I'd like that, very much."

Merlin climbed into bed and pulled his covers up high. The candle extinguished, but the faint glow that seemed to accompany Arthur about half the time was still shining. Merlin still didn't mind it and he began to wonder if he'd grow to miss it when they were no longer together. Maybe he'd find out where Arthur was in the sky and look for him on nights that he didn't want to feel as lonely. It would be a comfort, something to look forward to and to look for in a world where very few things seemed certain to him.

"I can't guarantee how impressed you'll actually be."

The only response Arthur got was a smile that he couldn't even see, and the sound of Merlin's breathing evening out. It was the proximity to Merlin that made it difficult to sleep that night and nothing at all to do with the fact that he wanted to be out and shining.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, they set out with freshly packed bags. The pirates had been very concerned for their well being and did everything to assure they had the supplies they needed. This included some lightning, two swords (even though Merlin could barely wield his), food for a day's walk, and some ale, in case they got tired of walking and needed to sit and get drunk. They were sent off with warm embraces and a promise to return. Gwaine gave them both two exaggerated kisses on their cheeks. Merlin was amused and Arthur was very scandalised.

Before he disembarked, Gwaine pulled Merlin aside and nudged him gently. "Not thinking so much of that Will fellow anymore, are you?"

Merlin just blushed and batted playfully at his friend before following Arthur off of the ship. The village they were looking for was only three miles off so they could easily finish the walk within the morning. If Merlin was feeling up to exerting himself, it could take no more than an hour, but he felt like taking his time, enjoying the walk.

"Gwaine knows I'm a star," Arthur stated, once they were out of sight of the ship. "I suppose it's not too hard to see, right?"

With a look and a shrug, Merlin continued to walk. "I imagine we should try to, erm. Conceal that to anyone we run into, right? Just in case. That witch could come back after all."

"Right. That's- that feels so long ago. I feel like a whole other person now, don't you?"

The short answer to that would be yes, but Merlin wasn't sure of how exactly to explain all the new things he'd been feeling in these past days, so instead he walked a bit ahead. There was no need to get soppy about Arthur or how he'd changed or anything just yet. He had the rest of his life to be soppy about some boy or other. This was the time to be a hero and find his father.

They'd been walking for about two of the three miles when Arthur, startled by the sound of a nearby carriage, all but tackled Merlin to the ground and into a nearby hedgerow. The boy sputtered, rather indignantly. 

"That's a carriage, Arthur! What the hell else did you think that'd be?"

"Witches take carriages the same as other people do, Merlin." Arthur huffed, but stayed where he was, taking a few moments for his body to get out of panic mode. He was all too aware of his proximity to Merlin once he'd started to calm down. "In all this time- you've never been tempted?"

"Tempted?" Merlin raised a brow. "Tempted to do what?" The instinct to reach out to touch Arthur's cheek or to surge up and kiss him was overwhelming, but he resisted. So did Arthur, in fact, but not before leaning forward.

"You've been sleeping near a star for a week now. Never thought about the immortality bit?"

"Forever seems like a long time without someone to share it with, doesn't it?"

The look on Arthur's face softened, and he pulled away, offering a hand to Merlin. "You're a good man, Merlin. Even if you are a gangly sort of person."

Merlin took his hand and stood, resisting his urge to stick his tongue out at Arthur. That would really be childish, especially when he was still more or less recovering from having Arthur on top of him. That was certainly a moment that he'd remember for the rest of his life. He began to worry that Arthur was something he'd never shake. Instead of dwelling, he shook the dirt off of his clothes and marched on. Arthur hadn't understood not walking ahead like some lord and Merlin thought that under the right circumstances, he might end up following him blindly.

 

At the village, they were welcomed at a tavern after a promise of buying everyone around a drink. It was the best way Merlin could think of to possibly get someone or other to speak. Arthur seemed to take it as a bit of a challenge, drinking and having fun, and Merlin was worried they'd run out of money. Apparently the last thing slipped into their bags, though, was a fairly large sum of gold, likely by Gwaine himself. Merlin would have to one day think of a man to repay that man for his kindness, if there even was such a way to repay him.

Keeping a wary eye on Arthur, Merlin focused on engaging individuals. He seated himself next to an older man with a rather scraggly beard. The man was quiet, but seemed to enjoy the ale that he didn't have to pay for, so Merlin slid closer.

"So, erm. The truth is- my friend and I. We're looking for someone."

The man grunted in reply. 

"Do you know where I can find a man who goes by the name of Balinor?"

At that, the man laughed and threw his head back, before taking a large swig. "You mean the beast in the woods? The children here say they've seen the wizard walking about, picking herbs and hunting rabbits. But he's been missing for twenty years gone, and no one dares go to where they think he might be- there's a cave in the woods, filled with wonderous things. Crystals and gold and everything dangerous."

"Why are you laughing? If children have seen him, it could really be him."

"I don't know what kind of man would be chasing after a myth, I'm very uncertain of that much."

Merlin glared, but then collected himself. It wasn't a myth, it was his father and it was very real. If it was him at all. "Where's this cave?"

"Bout a mile deep, there's a path grown over with briers, it always stays grown over with briers, even if someone passes through, or so they say."

"Well that's easy enough, isn't it? The entrance to the wood, that's just past there. And you've all been cowards and haven't even bothered to go looking!"

"In my experience, young man, when a man's that hidden, he doesn't want to be found."

 

By the time Merlin extracted Arthur from the crowd, he was half drunk and a bit stumbly. They found their way to the forest well enough and Arthur was at least not too drunk to help find the path. It didn't take the skill level of Arthur to use a sword to hack through the briers, so Merlin led the way, looking back at Arthur frequently.

"Just so we're clear on this, Arthur, it would be great if you were able to help more."

Arthur giggled and put his hand on his sword. "But you're so good at cutting these things down, Merlin."

"You're the one who has been trained by pirates on how to manage a sword."

"Yes, but not how to cut down things with a sword."

"I think the technique is very similar."

"And you're doing a very good job of it. Well done, Merlin. You're cutting the briers."

"It would go faster if you helped!"

"We'd end up chopping each other to bits on accident."

"Oh shove off-"

Abruptly, all the brier that Merlin had been cutting through ended, he faltered in his step, as it was easy and not blocked by foliage. They stepped in front of a cave. It looked like any other cave, rocks and dirt emerging from the ground, but Merlin could sense a power radiating from it and he walked forward. There was something in the cave that called to him. He sheathed his sword and gestured for Arthur to follow, stepping into the cave and its darkness.

The cavern initially was very bleak, just a dull entrance, but when he stepped in, he discovered stones, beautiful, bright ruby stones, the same color as his amulet. Merlin reached for the stone around his neck, as though it would give him some answer. He pulled his hand away once he'd remembered that the stone was now with Arthur, that he'd willingly given it to someone else. It was meant to keep Arthur safe, as if anything in this world or any other could guarantee safety. In the next moment, it was not his hand but a sharp blade at his neck.

"What are you doing here, boy?" someone growled.

"I'm looking for someone," he gritted out. He wasn't going to go out this close to finding his father.

Arthur must have had the same thought, as he'd managed to draw his sword and press it to the back of the man who had Merlin.

"We mean no harm, but you should let my friend go."

The man relinquished Merlin and stepped back, away from the sword, into the darkness. Merlin, turning to see him, couldn't help but notice a few of his more distinctive features, especially the specific shade of his eyes and the darkness of his hair. Merlin couldn't say for sure what his father would look like and, admittedly, a dirty man in a cave is not what he imagined, but he noticed the similarities. If anyone had to be his father, this man had a fairly good resemblance.

"We're looking for a man named Balinor," Merlin stated, once his courage had returned. "We were told he lived here."

"Balinor is dead, didn't you know that?" the man answered, narrowing his eyes. "He's been dead for twenty years. He was a wanted man."

Merlin looked to Arthur, then back to the stranger. "He's not been dead twenty years, that's a bold faced lie."

"That's not a lie."

"I'm his son, I would know." He stepped forward. "And I've come to take him home. Or to my home. Or...whatever."

"Impossible. He had no son."

"My mother," he began, "is a woman named Hunith, she's from the other side of the wall, I'm from the other side of the wall. And he gave her this amulet." Merlin looked over to Arthur, then gestured to the amulet. Hopefully this would be proof without a doubt. "And she gave it to me. He said that it would, it would help her find him when he'd freed himself, or to help free him, I'm not really sure, but I'm here. And I want to help him."

"He doesn't need your help," was the answer he received.

"But maybe I need your- his help."

"Don't presume because you happen to know my secrets that you can trick your way to me," he answered. "I don't want to see her again."

"I'm your son." Merlin took another step forward. "I've come all this way to find you, to tell you that my mother still thinks of you, that I want to get to know you."

"She doesn't know who she's thinking of. It was one night of an insignificant life."

"Please, I need your help. My friend needs your help. We're both so far away from home here."

"I want both of you out of here, now."

The ground began to shake as he talked. Merlin wasn't daunted, but it was Arthur who had the sense to pull him away, reaching for Merlin's hand. 

"I know you must feel ashamed, like you've done her wrong but we just want you-"

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted. "Come on, if he doesn't want to claim you, that's his loss."

"We want you-"

Arthur grabbed Merlin's hand and started to run towards the entrance of the cave. When Merlin turned back, the front was covered in briers, thicker than even those he was cutting through earlier that very same day. Before Merlin could grab his sword to try to hack through it, Arthur had them back on the path and hacking his way through that obstacle. They didn't say anything until they were back at the village.


	8. Chapter 8

Somehow, Arthur managed to figure out how to book a room at the inn above the tavern. It was a quiet night and they were given a room to themselves, which Arthur was grateful for. Merlin was not his usual self. He didn't want to read or eat or do any of the things that he'd usually do. Instead he sulked and stared out the window like a pouty child. It upset him to see his friend like this.

"Merlin, he'll come around," he said, cutting through about an hour's worth of silence. "If he doesn't, then he's not worth your time. It's a lot to discover that you have a child that you didn't know about. Or that the woman you once loved still thinks fondly of you."

Merlin turned to him, giving him a rather sullen look before moving towards his bed, where he laid on his back. "It's not just that, Arthur. How else are we going to get you home?"

"That eager to get me back in the sky, eh?"

"It's not that it's just-"

"Babylon Candles are rare but not impossible. I have faith that there's another person out there who can get us one."

"We've spent a week looking for him. We could have spent a week helping you get home."

"Well, for whatever it's worth," Arthur said, moving to sit on the edge of Merlin's bed. "I couldn't have found a better way to spend my week. I never imagined that I would be able to have an adventure."

Merlin sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees, resting his chin on them. He did feel better knowing that Arthur didn't resent him, or their time together, but he still felt responsible for the fact that Arthur was still earthbound. "I'm still sorry."

"Don't be. It isn't even your fault that you knocked me out of the sky, though that's the only time in your entire life I'll say that, so you better cherish me saying that forever."

That won Arthur a smile and he was glad of it. Merlin perked up a bit, even bothering to sit up. He placed a hand on Merlin's knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Maybe this is what he needed all along, to be here on earth. With Merlin. That part seemed very important to him in particular. Balinor was a fool for missing out on knowing such a good person.

"Arthur?" Merlin said softly.

"Merlin?"

"I don't care about Will anymore, just in case you were curious. Not like that. I thought you should just know that."

"And what does Will have to do with anything?"

"Don't you know?" he said, placing his hand on top of Arthur's.

It wasn't necessarily an instantaneous bright glow, but if anyone ever had any doubt about the way that light radiated off of Arthur, they wouldn't doubt any longer. Merlin wished, in that moment, he could be as readily transparent with how he felt. He envied the ability to express happiness or gratitude or love so openly. Then again, he was here, possibly hundreds of miles away from home, and maybe he had his own ways of showing how he felt.

He leaned forward then, pressing his lips gently against Arthur's. It took a few moments for Arthur to return the kiss, as it was his first human kiss, bu he was a quick study. He did pull away for a moment, only to admire Merlin and to have the pleasure of initiating a kiss himself. They continued like this until they were breathless. It was a series of different kisses, small and teasing at first, then deeper, more intent, like they'd relied on each other for air. Then, once they were content with this being a proper first kiss, comfortable, happy, satisfied.

"When you talked about temptation earlier," Merlin said and kissed the tip of his nose. "This is what I thought about."

"Just this?" he asked curiously.

"Well...maybe something a bit more. But that seems- I mean." He blushed.

"Is this where I tease you for being a virgin?"

"I'd prefer if you didn't, thank you very much."

Arthur kissed him again, even as he clumsily slipped out of his jacket. "If I'm not going to have much longer experiencing this life, I want to make the most of it. Which means seeing you naked is fairly high on that list."

"Fairly high?" Merlin raised a brow. He'd already shed his jacket for the evening, but he did tug off his shirt.

"It's very, very near the top. Possibly the number one item on the list."

"Possibly?"

Instead of answering, Arthur resumed kissing him, more or less climbing on top of Merlin in the bed. Maybe that was moving fast, but if Merlin would say yes, he was more than willing to take this as far as possible. He made a bit of a show of removing his own tunic, even if it ended with the shirt stuck over his head. Thankfully, he was able to remove it with Merlin's help and a few moments of laughter. Merlin had never imagined that he'd be doing this in his life, that something like this would seem so easy and so natural, but it was the absolute truth. His boyish fantasies where always of the fade to black sort, and while he knew how this worked, this was the first time he had applied it to himself.  
It took a few moments of touching and admiration for them to say anything again, but neither seemed to mind. There's a greediness that comes from being close for too long without being able to touch, and being so often close together for the most intense week of both of their lives definitely doubled the desire to touch and be touched.

"It's unfair that you look this well built for a man who's been...floating around in the sky," Merlin said with a smile.

"You've got such soft, pale skin, Merlin. Are you sure you're not part star?" Arthur teased.

"Well, I did find out recently that I'm half...or whole, not sure how it works, Dragon Lord, so I'd say at this point that anything is possible."

"I suppose the next step is to remove our trousers?"

"You jump to things fast."

"Do you want to see me naked or not? I know you used to stare at me."

"Used to? I've still been staring, and often."

Despite blushing, Merlin was enough master of himself to push Arthur far enough away that he could strip out of his trousers and toss them aside. He managed to help Arthur do the same and then it was skin on skin, with no barriers, no worries. Merlin only had confidence in anything he did because he knew Arthur was as inexperienced as he was. They slid under the covers, even though there was no need. There was an intimacy to being under the covers that neither could quite describe.

They were both more than half hard, and when Merlin took Arthur's cock in his hand, Arthur followed suit. This he could do easily enough, he'd done it many times himself. Merlin would worry later about the more complicated things, if there was a later. He stroked Arthur, slowly at first and then faster and firmer as he knew he was pushing him closer to the edge. They kissed while they touched each other, something sloppy and awkward, but very rewarding. It lacked coordination, or finesse, but it seemed to work. They'd found a pace that was understood, something that worked for both of them. Occasionally, when one of them stroked in a way that felt particularly good, the other would stop and take a moment to relish in the pleasure. But it was only a moment until they were back to mutually panting and begging for more.

Merlin came first with a soft groan, nothing too dignified or pretty, but Arthur found it to be one of the most beautiful human expressions he'd seen in his entire time observing humanity. It was also just what he needed to be sent over that edge. Soon after, he slumped over and they laid as a sweaty, sticky heap for a few moments. Merlin used his clean hand to card through Arthur's hair.

"I believe there's a washbin in the room, or we can draw a bath," Merlin said.

"Washbin will suffice," was the mumbled answer before Arthur moved off the bed to wash up for the night. Merlin followed him to it, taking a few moments to appreciate the lines of Arthur's naked body as he moved.

When they were both adequately clean, they climbed back into the bed. Tomorrow would be a new day with a new strategy. Merlin, despite his worries, slept easily and deeply that night. Arthur had concluded, holding onto Merlin as he slept, that he wanted to stay on earth. Indefinitely. It was just a matter of making sure that Merlin wanted him to stay, that he could stay. And then finding the way to say that without making himself out to be some sort of lovesick fool. For the first time since he fell, Arthur slept through the night.


	9. Chapter 9

Merlin awoke the next morning feeling energized and ready to start his day. Arthur was still fast asleep, snoring lightly with one arm slung over him. It took every ounce of effort to not just lay there, but he needed to get out of bed. He had plans for that day. Eventually, he slid out of the bed and dressed for the day. Knowing Arthur's desire to sleep during the day, he'd probably still be asleep when he returned. He wanted to have his work done, for better or worse, before Arthur had woken up. That way, whatever the conclusion was, Arthur would not be burdened by it in the least.

It was only a few minutes later that he slipped out and back towards the cave. Maybe with sleep, Balinor would feel better about the situation, or at least be more likely to listen to logic and have some sense talked into him. Merlin hadn't even gotten to the cave, in fact, when he was stopped by the very man.

"What are you doing out here again, boy?"

"Merlin," he corrected. "My name is Merlin, and I'm coming to talk to you."

"I told you I don't want to talk. To you or your friend."

"That's not fair nor true, and you know it. I came all the way from the blasted other side of the wall just to find you. I knocked a poor star out of the sky and almost got him killed by a witch and some pirates and I've gone very far from home to find you, so the least you can do is talk to me."

Merlin had put on his most firm expression, which was a mixture of petulant and fearsome all at once. He was determined to get a proper answer out of the man, if nothing else. It was a matter of pride and a matter of doing right by his mother. She deserved answers after all these years, just as well as he did.

"There's nothing more to be said, I'm a coward and I don't deserve this attention," he admitted.

It took a few moments to process what the extent of guilt Balinor must be feeling. It didn't forgive his actions, but it did give Merlin a sudden deeper sense of understanding. The older man gestured for Merlin to follow him, and they sat together not so far from the cave. Even then, Balinor didn't speak for several moments.

"Your mother was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, I'd wager she still is. Sometimes you just...know you love someone. It takes a look or a gesture or a turn of expression and that's it. You're young, though, I don't think you'd understand. But then I made her a promise, a very big promise that we'd be together someday, once I was free, and I was a martyr and I let her go back to where she came from. By the time I was free, it felt far too late. Like it would be selfish of me to expect her to care, so I figured it was best to disappear."

"I don't know about too late, but for the record, she never married. Never showed interest in it."

That won Merlin a warm smile, and he was grateful to have that memory of his father."How did you find out about me?"

"The amulet. The one my friend was wearing. I crossed the wall to impress a friend, and it knocked a star out of the sky. And then mum had said it was a sign from you so I thought if I found the star, I could find you. If you can't guess, erm. My friend is that star, he sort of commandeered the amulet and I let him have it."

"It wasn't wrong to seek out a star. I could have used the power of a star to break my bonds, if I still was captive. I suppose I didn't wager that the magic wouldn't have worked on your side of the wall."

"But couldn't it have always felled a star?"

"It depends, Merlin. Only certain stars are destined to fall."

"Will you come with me?" he asked. "Or will you at least help me?"

"What could you need help with? You got all the way here on your own."

"I need a Babylon Candle. To get Arthur home. I promised him I'd get him home, and we used the one my mum gave me up escaping from a witch."

"I don't just have Babylon Candles laying about, they take a very powerful magic but I'll help you. It's another journey to get everything we need."

"I'm ready for it." Merlin stood and held out a hand to help Balinor up. Balinor stood all on his own and walked ahead. It was all about baby steps, Merlin thought. Small steps and then Balinor would come home to be with his mother, and they'd be a family all together then.

 

They were both silent for the walk back to the tavern, even when everyone around the town met them with odd stares and whispers. Everyone wanted to take a peek at the man from the woods, and the strange person he was walking with. Both of them chose to ignore the titters of the people around. It was a relief to step into the room at the inn, Merlin had realized, and not have every eye on him.

"Arthur?" he asked, peering into the room. He didn't even think about what Arthur would or wouldn't be doing. "If you're not dressed yet I recommend getting dressed now."

No one answered.

"Arthur?" He stepped in further. The bed had been all but destroyed, with the blankets strewn about and signs of some sort of struggle. Arthur's sword laid on the floor, he must have slept with it beside the bed. Of course he slept with it beside the bed. "He's gone." Merlin's eyes went wide, and he turned to Balinor. "Someone took him. He's been taken."

"Your friend is an adult, surely he can't be so easily taken away."

"Witches. There was a witch, she wanted his heart. She was going to eat his heart and if I don't get to him- I need to find him." Merlin grabbed Arthur's sword, and his own. "I don't know where the hell to even find a witch, I don't know the first thing about witches."

"You need to breathe, Merlin." Balinor gripped one of his shoulders. "Deep breaths, we'll find your friend. He can't be too far by now. Tell me about this witch you saw before."

Merlin collected himself slowly. "Young looking. Dark, curly hair. I don't know much about power but she was- she was very, very powerful."

"Morgana. That's good news, then."

"How the hell is that good news?"

"Because I know where to find her."

 

They both rushed out of the inn and out to the nearest field. Balinor had led the way, he said he had a friend that could help, which sounded absurd because Balinor didn't seem like the type to have any friends at all. The man, after all, had been living in a cave. Nonetheless, Merlin was out of resources and desperate to save Arthur.  
When Balinor halted Merlin and started speaking in some strange language that Merlin couldn't possibly understand (and yet part of him did), he still wouldn't expect what was happening. Within moments, a very, very large creature flew into sight. Merlin wasn't the brightest man in the world, but even he could tell that this was, in fact, a dragon. He was going to be face to face with a dragon. He felt as terrified as he'd always imagined, but also resigned to the fact that this was a dragon in front of him. It was his kin, he'd realized, in a way.

The creature landed, speaking in all too human tones.

"And what can I help you with now, warlock? It's been ages since you've called to me."

"My apologies, but I need your help in finding a friend. He's been taken to the witch's castle."

"Your friend is the star," the dragon answered, eyeing up the youth who looked more than flabbergasted. "This is the boy that knocked a star from the sky."

"I- erm. I didn't mean it. I'm trying to get him home."

"Very well, two passengers isn't too much of a burden."

If Merlin wasn't so afraid for Arthur's safety, he'd know that moment was one of the ones he'd remember for the rest of his days: climbing on a dragon and holding on tight. Even in the air, even with the thrill, his heart pounded as all he could think about was Arthur and finding him.


	10. Chapter 10

The witches lived in an old castle, crumbling but still impressive, situated in a crater. The flight seemed to only take a few moments, but Merlin supposed that was the influence of flying via dragon. He'd more or less stumbled off of the dragon, and onto the grass, which he was grateful for. Balinor, his father, dismounted with far more grace than he had and said a few parting words to the dragon. Clearly, this dragon and his father were as good as old friends. In time, Merlin would like to learn to understand, but right now, his only plan was to find Arthur.

"What do we do?" Merlin asked, peering over the precipice.

"Have you ever scaled a wall or a cliff, Merlin?"

"No." Merlin shook his head. "I've never done such a thing in my life. Okay,t here was that crater, but that one was not nearly as deep or craggy or terrifying as this one. And we were going up."

"Well, there's a first time for everything, now, isn't there?"

Merlin had begun an uneasy, but relieved laugh when he realized the Balinor was perfectly serious. It was only the desire to hurry through that kept him from from quitting. He'd needed to find Arthur, Arthur who was in there, Arthur who for all he knew was dead already. When he had that particular thought, he felt a cold dread in his stomach and his foot slipped. Balinor was there to catch him and only gave him a reprimanding look, not a verbal reprimand. He was grateful for that. Wouldn't he feel if Arthur was gone? Wouldn't he know if that light was out of his life? The stars would wail for their missing brother and tell him that Arthur was gone and no longer here. He had to believe that, because if Arthur was gone, he'd just have to stop going altogether and head back home.

 

Balinor was many things, and resourceful was probably Merlin's favourite at that very moment. (He'll explore other, more important qualities for a father later- kind, humorous, wise, but those really seem irrelevant.) They were at the front door of the castle and Merlin, despite knowing better, peered in the large, stained windows. He could make out a grand hall and a staircase but little else. It was blurred by the cobwebby status of the interior and the dirty windows that he peered through. Balinor, meanwhile, worked on a spell to remove the glass from a window pane without making more than the tiniest "tink" of a sound. The glass more or less disappeared into thin air, leaving an open spot. The hole was, in size, not large enough for Balinor, who was broader than his son, but Merlin was too eager to climb through. It took more grace than the young man had in his body to move through it without shattering more glass. Balinor had to actually navigate his foot through the opening.

"Shit," he muttered, barely audibly, as he moved along the floor. There was a figure, the witch from the inn, by the look of things, standing on top of the staircase, and something that looked like a very uncomfortable bed with a figure strapped to it. The figure wasn't struggling, but looked more or less resigned to its fate, or maybe indignant. "Arthur," he mouthed, convinced that he was being very, very quiet. He was not.

Moments later, he was wrenched upward by a rather strong hand, and a rather dangerous woman. Merlin had forgotten he was told there would be two. He slyly made eye contact with Balinor, but was unsure of what that would do, if there was any help. He wasn't taking his father down with him, not when he'd just found him, not when he'd just gotten a chance to save Arthur. The women, unfortunately, were more than aware that Merlin wasn't good at being subtle.

"Oh, Balinor," the one beside Merlin began. "Is this your boy? I can tell he's yours, because of the stench of wasted potential. I could crush him so easily, like a flea."

Merlin hadn't learned much on the pirate ship. He was no good at sword fighting, he was no good at much of anything physical, but he did know how to wriggle himself free and he managed just that.

Then there was a hand on him, around his throat, the feeling of him choking, but there was nothing there. The witch, this one as pretty as the other, but blonde, with a dangerous look, held out her arm in a gesture akin to choking, and the air seemed to be drained from his lungs. He registered dimly that maybe it was best to quit this fight he couldn't win, but then he heard two voices at once, both shouting his name. One, he knew, was Arthur, and the other his father, and out of the corner of his eye he spied the other man, suddenly in a similar predicament to himself. He could let himself slip away but not his father and certainly not Arthur who needed him.

Pirates, Merlin remembered, were never afraid to cheat in a fight if it meant they lived. He screwed his eyes shut, thought of the sword on his belt, thought of the gut of the witch, thought of saving everyone that mattered to him, and sent it flying forward, toward the woman. She crumpled, and he crumpled, and he saw his father fall down and lay still for a few moments before coughing. The witch didn't get up.

He turned his attention to the remaining woman, and could catch Arthur staring at him, looking relieved. A bit too relieved for a man who was about to die.

"Arthur!" he shouted, a warning as the woman raised her weapon (another shard of glass) and promptly brought it down. Everything went black for a moment, and then the next thing he knew, Arthur was standing and the woman had retreated away. The bonds had been cut and Arthur's heart was still in his chest.

He'd rushed forward, trying to meet Arthur halfway. He didn't pay heed to the retreating woman, who had seemingly been crying, weeping about her sister. But maybe this was the price to pay for taking stars away from their sisters and brothers. If you take a sister or brother, you lose one. This woman had surely taken many beloved ones from the sky. He had no sympathy for the dead woman, and even less bad feelings when Arthur all but ran to him and pulled him into his arms. Despite having an inch or two in height on the other man, he'd lifted Merlin off of his feet and Merlin laughed. Arthur laughed too, only there was another laugh, higher and bitter not with the joy they were feeling that soon joined in.

"I suppose, I should thank you for getting my sister out of the way. Much as I loved her, I'd rather have the immortality to myself!"

The air surged with something hot and restrictive, a bright bubble of green surrounded them, kept them from moving back to the door. Merlin could see his father, now standing slowly outside, but looking helpless.

"You know, he was sad earlier," the woman explained. "This...star. Seemed like he was missing someone as I took him from his bed, like he needed you, this human boy, to be happy. It's so much better to eat a full heart, isn't it?"

She'd began to move down the stairs, and Merlin, scrawny and fearful and unsure of what his magic could or could not do, placed himself in front of Arthur. If they were going down, they were going down together.

"Merlin," Arthur said firmly. "Merlin, I need you to turn around."

Merlin had a hand ready to fight, and was trying to think of something magic he could do, but his mind went blank. There was no magic to defeat the practised magic of someone hundreds of years old. Instead, he listened to Arthur, turning himself around and into his arms. He held on tight, and obeyed when Arthur whispered for him to close his eyes.  
The room filled with a new warmth, like sunlight, like something he had never felt before. And he felt it all around him, swallowing anything not immediately in those safe and comforting arms. He wondered if he could stay like this forever, feeling safe and warm and happy. If he kept his eyes closed, it would always be like this. Reality, nonetheless, had to be faced. When he'd opened his eyes, almost everything in the room was gone. It was down to the bare bones of a staircase and debris. He took Arthur's face in his hands and kissed him, quick and fast, then another kiss for good measure.

"How did you-?" he asked, looking amazed.

"I'm a star."

"But how did you-"

"We shine, Merlin. It's not just for looking pretty, I promise you that much."

"Magic, you have your own magic."

"Yes, and so do you. I told you I might show you star magic some day, and now I did. Now, let's get out of this awful place. Do you have my sword?"


	11. Chapter 11

Merlin found one of the greatest challenges of his life to be trying to talk about his feelings in those days that followed the death of the wtiches. It wasn't for lack of feelings to talk about, or lack of desire, but rather the fact that his father was always present. Sometimes he'd take Arthur's hand or give him a flirty look, but this whole endeavor was all business. Balinor was tracking down whatever source he could find for a Babylon candle. So they were left in limbo. What little privacy they had was only left awkward by the excess of things they still both had to say.

This wouldn't be a problem, of course, if having a candle didn't mean that Arthur was going to go back to live with the stars. Merlin didn't expect Arthur to choose him over his home, it wasn't something that really had crossed his mind at any point, but he still wanted to make his feelings known. He didn't want to let Arthur go without telling him that he loved him. It wasn't as though he didn't have any hope, either. Arthur had been enthusiastic about them being together, at least in the intimate sense, and seemed responsive to the hand holding. Once or twice, he even thought Arthur was attempting to initiate a kiss. The first time he was very confused, and the second Balinor walked in before Merlin could even lean forward.

After several weeks of searching, Balinor managed to track down two candles. He may have had to trade about half of his known magical possessions for them, but it felt like a victory nonetheless. The witch they'd found them from was kinder than the witches they'd met before. Balinor followed up the transaction with a clap on Merlin's shoulder and a lesson about the relativity of magic. There was no good or evil magic, just people who used it for the right and wrong reasons. Merlin had begun to worry his father had forgotten anything aobut enjoying himself when he went on to say that he'd also bought them two bottles of wine from the witch. That night they sat around a fire and drank wine and decided what to do with the candles.

Merlin couldn't help but notice the way Arthur kept looking at him across the fire. He wanted to know what was on his mind but didn't say anything about it. Everything that hung between them felt dire, like it was about to snap at any moment.

"I think there's things I'd like to do before I use the candle to get home," Arthur said at length. He took a sip of the wine for liquid courage. "I want to thank Gwaine for all the help he's given me and I'd like to meet Merlin's mother, since I've heard so much about her. So I've got a proposal for you two, and it's your choice."

Balinor smiled, warmly and reassuringly, at the star. "Alright, Arthur, we're listening."

"I think you should use your candle to go see Merlin's mother, and then maybe bring her here, if she'd like to be here. If I go on the other side of the wall, if what you say is true, I become a lump of dust. You can probably use the rest of the candle, because each candle can usually be used twice, to come back. And then you can be reunited as a family. When I've done what I need to do, I'll go home."

Merlin looked over at his father, then back to Arthur. They all agreed to the plan. They'd be able to manage a walk to the wall to return home if they'd decide to return at all. Either way, Merlin liked two things very much: the idea of more time with Arthur, and the idea of finally being a family.

 

Balinor left to visit Hunith the next day. They agreed they'd meet back in about a week's time. That morning, Merlin and Arthur set out for the nearest port in search of Gwaine and his ship. By some chance of fate, they were only a short boat ride away, and were met with a warm clap on the back and congratulations about their adventure. Gwaine didn't seem interested in them paying him back anything but their friendship. Merlin had rarely met someone so genuinely kindhearted, he realised. He was blessed to have the friends he'd gained.

They were set up for a few days on the ship, in their old spot in the store room. For the first half day, Merlin thought things had truly gone back to how they were before anything had happened, but then Arthur had kissed him after dinner unexpectedly and they'd gone down to bed so early it was almost rude. Gwaine, of course, would never find something like this rude, so he let it slide. Young lovers, he believed, should be left to their own devices, because love could be a very fickle thing.

It wasn't as though they talked much beyond the usual those days on the ship, and they definitely didn't have the conversations they needed. They'd spend the days together, sure, but mostly silently, staring off into the sky, or talking about trivial things. At night they'd dance and drink and go back to their makeshift room, where they'd now pushed the cots together. In the room they'd kiss and touch each other and attempt to be quiet in case someone would happen to walk by. They'd hold each other as they slept through the night. It wasn't lost on Merlin that Arthur now had little trouble sleeping through the night, and he wondered if that meant that he had a chance of him wanting to stay.

Nonetheless, it was only a few blissful days and then they had to meet Merlin's mother and father at the appointed spot. Arthur knew he should be glad of this day, the day Merlin saw his family completed, but he only felt dread. He would have to leave and he'd never see Merlin again, but watch at a distance. Maybe he'd see as he grew older, fell in love with some other man, and moved on with his life. The option of seeing Merlin be unhappy, even if it meant he never loved again, was probably even more unbearable to him, though, and that was what gave him the strength to cope.

They were sitting in the grass, plucking it with their free hands (their other hands were clasped very tightly together) when the two appeared. Merlin was up on his feet immediately and rushing towards them, embracing both mother and father. He felt so happy he could burst in that moment, like everything he'd wished for as a boy had come true.

Hunith, warm, caring Hunith, cupped her boy's cheek and kissed his forehead, commenting on how long his hair had gotten and how she'd missed him. Then she peered over. "And who's this handsome young man?"

Arthur blushed and stood slowly, brushing off his clothes. "Arthur. I'm uh. I'm the star your son knocked from the sky. I'd heard so much about you, I couldn't not meet you, but if I went to you, I'd have turned into dust."

"Well, we wouldn't want that, would we?" As she said this, she looked at Merlin all the while. Because of course Balinor who had spent so long a captive didn't understand, but she saw it, and she knew her son very well. Merlin was besotted.

That night they stayed at an inn. Merlin chose to sit up late by the fire. Arthur had already gone to bed and though they'd booked two separate rooms, so Merlin could share a bed with Arthur, he didn't feel right going up yet. Hunith came down in her night dress and sat beside her son, remaining quiet for a few moments and hoping he would speak. He didn't.

"When you were a boy," she explained, "you would follow Will around anywhere. Everywhere, and he never noticed your blind devotion. You'd get into fights often because he didn't understand that you felt things differently. I love Will, almost as if he's my own son, but you and Will, for many, many reasons, would have never made each other happy."

Merlin turned to Hunith and frowned. She was right of course, but he'd all but forgotten about anything but his friendship for Will. "I'm different, aren't I?" He felt shame rise, for the first time since he'd come to this side of the wall. "I'm wrong, all wrong."

"You're not, my boy." She placed a hand on his knee. "Ever since I came to this side of the wall, when I was just a girl myself, I knew I had to look beyond the world I saw. And when I realized that you...liked other boys in that way, I accepted it. They accept it more here, too."

"I know, I know." He nodded, and he felt better. There was a hope he'd be accepted. If his mother accepted him, that was a good start.

"I've been talking to Balinor and we've decided to stay here, as a family, together. You've got magic here, and I'd love the chance to get to know the man I once loved and could love again."

Merlin bit back his grin, but it was hard to contain. He'd been craving an excuse to stay, a reason to never go home again. Here, he could be whoever he wanted to be and here he had chances he didn't have before.

"So the question is," Hunith said, "are you going to ask the star to stay?"

Merlin blushed. Of course his mother knew. It would be foolish to assume that she didn't. She wouldn't talk about him fancying boys if it didn't have a purpose.

"I can't. I can't ask him to stay away from his family, I mean, look at me. I've got my family here, and his is so very far away."

"All you can do is ask, and if nothing else, he'll go home knowing that your heart is full of him."

"I don't know when my heart will stop being full of him," he admitted, pulling his knees to his chest.

"Then tell him, my boy. Tell him you want him to stay, if nothing else. The other words will come later. You're young, and he has forever."

 

They talked for some time longer, until the innkeeper gently encouraged them to go up to their rooms. Merlin lit a singular candle, just long enough to strip down and climb into the bed. He placed a hand on Arthur's back, feeling the rise and fall of his breath. He didn't want to wake him, but he craved some contact with his lover. It was all too human, wasn't it? Arthur rolled over, stirring awake. When he registered that it was Merlin in the bed, he started to glow.

"Arthur," Merlin said, feeling his words catch in his throat. There were tears in his eyes and he couldn't help but feel overcome in the moment. He couldn't imagine what it would be like the night after this, or after that, when Arthur had finally used the candle and gone away from him forever.

"Hmm?" the other man answered sleepily. 

"Stay, stay with me," he whispered, unsure of Arthur could even hear him. He must have, because he pulled Merlin to his chest, keeping him close.

"Okay, okay. I'll stay."

The way he glowed was new, dimmer, warm, and it never went away fully after that moment, at least not in Merlin's eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

Merlin had planned on sleeping in the next morning, but Arthur who was apparently now a morning star, had some very different ideas. He'd nudged him awake, and once he was certain that Merlin was awake enough, started to kiss along his face and neck.

"What're you doing?" Merlin mumbled, sleepily but not entirely displeased.

"We've only been able to do this in a bed once, Merlin, and who knows when we'll have a chance to do it in a bed again."

He laughed and pulled Arthur closer. "Alright, fair. The cots were not so good for anything but sleeping. Or even sleeping. Honestly, do the crew have to sleep on the cots? Because I'd be very miserable about the whole thing."

"Of course now that I'm staying, we have a lot of time to learn new things, but it still feels very urgent to have you."

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Merlin chuckled and cupped his cheek, taking a few moments to admire Arthur before pulling him in for a kiss. The kiss, though heated, was more or less leisurely, the two of them taking their time. The other downside of sex on a pirate ship at night is it was very dangerous once the candle had gone out, so they had to be very, very careful about everything. If they'd ended up on the ground, there could be splinters in the worst possible places, or very nasty bruises. When they pulled away from the kiss, Merlin felt warm and heady and definitely aroused. Arthur, ever the opportunist, slid a hand between them and took his cock in hand, stroking it steadily.

"Oh, yeah," Merlin groaned. Arthur's hand was firm and precise, stroking him in a way that Arthur had learned he particularly liked. He'd reached up, holding on to Arthur's arm as he touched him. "Plus, in the daylight, you can actually see everything."

"That's true, I need far more time to see your body in the daylight to..." He started to kiss along his jaw. "Admire and worry about your pale skin and to tease you-" He moved to his ear, sucking the lobe into his mouth, then pulling away. "About your adorable ears." He nipped the newly relinquished earlobe.

"Am I supposed to pretend I didn't hear you call some part of me adorable?"

"I'd prefer if you remembered it forever, but that's ultimately your choice, isn't it?"

Merlin laughed, and slid his hand down to flick Arthur's nipple playfully. This earned him a very pleased sound and only encouraged him to continue with the exploration of his hands on Arthur's body. It was incredible how it was such a short time ago that he thought he'd never be able to have this kind of freedom with someone he loved and God, he did love Arthur and he wondered if it was too soon to say it out loud? Was it bad timing? No, he'd realized, he needed to say it. When he'd asked Arthur to stay, the implicit agreement was that he'd have to talk out what he'd feeling, he'd have to keep this an open conversation. It was something they'd both have to learn, but together they'd keep communicating with each other, even if it was a day by day process.

"Stop, just a moment." 

Arthur did stop, still half on top of Merlin, glowing in the morning light. He'd never be as bright as he was the day in the castle. Merlin supposed that staying on earth made him a little bit more human with each passing day, but there was something about stars that humanity could never exactly touch.

"Something wrong?" Arthur asked, tentatively. He suspected nothing was wrong, but could never be certain.

"No, nothing's wrong. That's exactly it."

"So you stopped me from ravishing you because everything's right?"

"I stopped you from ravishing me to tell you that I love you, you big dolt."

The look on Arthur's face then was truly shocked, and then overjoyed, and then he was kissing Merlin more or less blindly and glowing just a little bit brighter. He'd forgotten all about his agenda of orgasms for a few moments, just to enjoy kissing Merlin and to know that he loved him.

"I'm assuming this means you love me too?" Merlin said, only once Arthur had pulled away from kissing him fiercely.

"Yes, of course I love you too, Merlin."

Arthur, as if he needed further physical show of his affection, moved so he was straddling Merlin completely, and leaned down to kiss him some more. The kissing was perhaps his favourite part, and really something humans should learn to cherish more for as freely as they're able to do it in their lives. He could chase Merlin's pouty mouth with his own all day long, seeking kisses until they'd both dropped off to sleep. Merlin, of course, had other intentions in that moment, and moved a hand between them, managing to wrap it around both of their cocks, at least partially, and giving them a stroke.

"Shall we do this together?" he said, encouraging Arthur to join in.

"Together I can do." Arthur's hand joined and they stroked together, slow and firm. They took the opportunity to kiss and touch as best as they could, indulging in the morning as the sun started to just barely peek through the window. Merlin supposed, now that they'd taken the time to explore each other's bodies and get to know precisely what and whom they were working with, they could try new things. One night on the ship, Arthur had given him oral, but he wasn't able to return the favour as the candle had gone out by then. He'd certainly have to pay him back, but not just yet.

They hit their release almost in unison and take a few moments to relish in the afterglow before they pulled away. Most of the release had landed on Merlin's stomach, and Arthur took advantage of this to scoop it up with his fingers and then slowly suck it off. Merlin groaned.

"You do realize that if you keep doing things like that, I'll be hard again in a matter of minutes?"

"Fair enough, I plan to take advantage of your body being easily aroused. We're young, aren't we? Or you are, my age is really just relative at this point."

"But it's good to know just how relative, for future reference."

"Well, you'll have to find out, won't you?"

Not one to say no to a challenge, of course, they spent a solid amount of time kissing, and it was not twenty minutes later that Merlin returned the favour from that night on the ship. Arthur didn't seem to have any complaints, and referred to it, during the experience, as the single best thing he'd ever felt. When he returned the favour (again) to Merlin, Merlin suspected it was primarily so he'd owe him again in the future. He didn't mind, especially because he was sated and warm and there was still some time before they had to make an appearance at breakfast, so they dozed together for another hour. Merlin noticed, then, that Arthur, despite his celestial origin, snored as much as any mortal man.  
They were woken by Hunith knocking on the door, telling them to get dressed to have something to eat. Merlin sat up and collected his clothes, wondering if every morning would be like this. At least the waking up next to Arthur bit, that was the most important bit. 

"Are you moving?"

"I'm a star," Arthur muttered, pulling the blankets over his head. "I sleep during the day, can't get up."

"First of all, that's been a complete lie for weeks now. You sleep through the night. Most nights, more soundly than I do."

"Second?"

"It's breakfast." He grinned. "And I promise next time we get in bed I'll do that thing you like so much again."

"I'm up!" Arthur exclaimed, all but falling out of bed. "I'm up!"

"Don't fall, at least," Merlin chuckled.

"Well if I do, please try not to land on me."

"Oh, this time I'll fall with you, Arthur."

"With or for?"

"You romantic, you."


	13. Epilogue

Now, I suppose, is the time to wax poetic about destinies and what the stars saw for the remainder of the life of Merlin and his star. There isn't poetry, as much as some would wish it, in the day to day lives of even the most heroic of young men. They'd spent their first days together helping Hunith and Balinor procure a place to live that wasn't a cave in the woods. (Balinor didn't understand her insistence on an actual house at first, but the idea of having a feather mattress every night won him over.) They had been given a room in the new cottage for whenever they'd like to stay, but Arthur was insistent that eventually they'd have a place of their own. He felt a strange need to provide for Merlin, which Merlin laughed off and insisted that they provide for each other. That suggestion was hesitantly accepted.

Merlin had spent a good while in those early days learning from his father things that the book couldn't teach him, but when it became apparent that his natural abilities surpassed even those of his father, they'd headed out for adventures. The Babylon candle that had started as a means of bringing Arthur home to the stars served as a security measure to keep Hunith from worrying that her little boy was off getting murdered by some awful creature.

They'd come home when Merlin was homesick or when Arthur needed a rest. Balinor would ultimately have some sort of lesson for his son, and Hunith would feed them up with cakes. When they wanted to rest and couldn't get home so easily, they'd seek out Gwaine and his pirates, who never seemed farther than the nearest thunderstorm away. They'd insisted, eventually, on sleeping somewhere other than the store room, just by default of wanting a bed to share. They didn't get use of a proper bed without a fair share of teasing to make everything worthwhile. After a few years of leading an adventurous life, they'd chosen a home for themselves, something humble but sturdy. Merlin was very pleased with that and found that, when it wasn't forced upon him, he didn't mind the farming or leading a more domestic life. Of course, it helped that they were only home about half the time. They'd gained a reputation for their love of adventure, and their ability to combat the forces of evil. Arthur was very pleased to have this sort of reputation.  
Apparently, there was everything from magical creatures to conquer to evil princes to fend off with swords. They'd never taken the time to discuss the conditions of Arthur staying, if it was a forever thing, or just until.... But Merlin wasn't sure what until, becaus he was certain as time went on that he'd loved Arthur as much as ever, even as he got older and greyer and they'd both spent far too much time together. He didn't want Arthur to feel pressured to stay for the rest of his life, certainly, so he'd left it open ended. The truth was, Arthur couldn't stay forever and they both knew that fact. At the end of the day, you can't take possession of an entire life, even if you can own pieces of it. Merlin wouldn't have loved Arthur if he was someone that resigned his whole existence to someone or something else.

With their own lives so full of rich adventure and something to do, it took Merlin some time to realize that everyone was getting slower or greyer, too. Saying goodbye became a reality, as it does. He'd learned that it never got easier and had started to fight the dread he'd felt once he'd started to approach middle age and discovered that his father and mother were old (graceful, as beautiful and kind as ever, but old nonetheless.) But this isn't the story of a man dwelling on his mortality or his sorrow, this is the story of a man who found his destiny with a star. This isn't the story of pitying a man who was left behind by everyone he loved.

It was years after everyone else had gone- had become part of their own cosmic design, before Arthur broached the subject of going home. Merlin, by then old and fearful, was worried he'd be left alone in his last days, that he'd have this sorrow over his head. But Arthur, beautiful, beaming Arthur only laughed at the thought of even considered leaving Merlin alone. The thought of that hadn't been an option for him for a long while.

"Merlin, I'm taking you with me. Don't you know, whoever possesses the heart of a star will live forever?"

"Do you promise no one's going to knock me out of the sky with an awful amulet?"

Arthur only laughed harder, slipping the amulet off of his own neck and placing it around Merlin's. It felt strange to have it back after so long, but also fitting, like it served as a promise of love. First from his father to his mother, then his mother to himself, himself to Arthur, and finally back to him.

"I make no such promises, but I do promise that I'll plummet after you, only if you promise that i get to land on you this time and not the other way around."

That was a promise Merlin was certain that he could make.


End file.
